Sunderland have been told they have one star player who is ‘going to the Premier League’ – and it’s not Jack Clarke.
Sunderland‘s promotion to the Championship in 2022 saw their transfer business come on leaps and bounds.
The Black Cats signed the likes of Dan Ballard, Aji Alese and Jack Clarke, while they somehow managed to snap up Dennis Cirkin and Patrick Roberts in League One too.
There is no denying that Sunderland have some huge quality in their team, and plenty of them have so many years ahead of them to develop further too.
Jack Clarke is currently the main man whose impending exit is likely to lead him to one of many possible clubs in the top flight, while the likes of Trai Hume and Pierre Ekwah have also been linked with a move to the very top.
Sunderland know how to identify talent, but there is one player in particular who they didn’t have to look very hard for.
Dan Neil has spent the last 14 years with Sunderland, having been born in South Shields.
The midfielder made his senior debut way back in 2018, but his breakthrough season wasn’t until the promotion-winning campaign a couple of years ago, where he bagged ten goal contributions.
He was ‘all over’ Leeds United’s £35m star
Neil has since become one of our best players and fans, players and the media are very convinced he too will make it to the Premier League.
Speaking on Sunderland Echo’s YouTube channel after their draw with Leeds United, journalist Phil Smith said: “I thought Dan Neil was unbelievable. When Neil first came through from the academy, we were all going – real talent, lovely footballer – but we all had a question mark over his defensive side, it’s why Alex Neil took him out of the team when he first came in.
“[Georginio] Rutter has been one of the most productive players in the Championship. In the first half he was getting into positions where you’d be a bit nervous, but Neil was getting all over him.
“To me, I think he’s going to the Premier League.”
Where does Dan Neil’s future lie?
Dan Neil has often had to drop back a bit to cover that Corry Evans shaped void in the midfield, and we have rarely seen it become a problem.
The 22-year-old has made the second-most tackles in the squad (72), third-most interceptions (38) and second-most passes blocked (44), while his stats further up the pitch have told a similar story.
Neil was up against international players, players who cost eight figures and players who had played in the Europa League final last night – and he didn’t look out of place.
I don’t actually think he will leave the Stadium of Light this summer, but we would do extremely well to keep him for any longer than that, especially if we don’t achieve promotion at the next opportunity.
He is going to the very top and people could well talk about him like they have done with Jordan Henderson.