Sunderland have looked very likely to only lose one key player this summer.
There was perhaps a point where Sunderland fans got their hopes up and believed Jack Clarke could stay at the club, but they were faced with an upsetting reality check when he departed for Ipswich Town.
Clarke has looked to be the only prized asset set to leave Wearside though, with Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg and Dan Ballard all committing to new contracts.
Sunderland’s brilliant start to the season can only benefit the club, with many players clearly enjoying their time since Regis Le Bris arrived.
While things are looking positive heading into the final few days of the transfer window, concerns could now dramatically increase after a recent transfer development in the Championship.
Sunderland Nation reported earlier this week that Luton Town were interested in signing Patrick Roberts, with the Hatters eager to bolster their squad in order to achieve automatic promotion.
The London outfit had yet to make a concrete offer for the winger, but they could now be encouraged to make their move as their own prized asset has left the club.
Luton Town sell key player to Premier League newboys
Luton have now confirmed forward Chiedozie Ogbene has joined Ipswich Town, with Sky Sports previously claiming he had agreed a £8m deal.
The 27-year-old had started 20 matches in the top flight last season, as well as all three of their Championship outings this term.
Ogbene plays on the right and his departure leaves Rob Edwards with a huge void out wide.
His exit could push Luton to bid for Roberts, who recently made his 100th appearance for Sunderland.
It could cause big problems for the Black Cats, who have already lost Clarke and have been reaping the rewards of Roberts’ fine start to the campaign.
Sunderland have no reason to offload Patrick Roberts
The Fulham academy product only signed a new long-term contract in November 2023 though, so Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has absolutely no reason to sell up.
The only way they would consider a move is if Roberts wanted it, but he recently told the Sunderland Echo that he had ‘loved’ his time on Wearside, so it would be a huge surprise if he suddenly wanted to move down south.
Sunderland are likely to battle of interest from Luton very well, but that won’t stop them pushing before deadline day if they really want him.
The Wearside outfit’s opening three wins definitely puts them at an advantage, as Roberts could well be interested in an exit if the club were struggling – especially if Ian Poveda had been fit and was in contention to take his place.
It will be interesting to see how it pans out before Friday’s deadline, but it is no surprise that supporters aren’t too concerned about his future.