There’s some players potentially up for sale at Sunderland this summer, and one that’s maybe not been talked about yet.
Everyone seems to know and think that the likes of Jack Clarke will be moved on this summer, and Anthony Patterson too.
They seem like the two who are more nailed on than most to leave in the summer with both having Premier League suitors.
But there’s of course others who’ve had interest this season and could yet come back under the transfer spotlight; Dan Ballard and Dan Neil to name a couple.
But Sunderland might use the summer transfer window to offload some fringe players too.
Sunderland fringe players could be moving on
It seems like we could see a few loan exits in the summer.
Sunderland have a few younger players who’ve been in and around the first-team this season, but who’ve failed to really make an impact.
Luis Hemir seems like the obvious one; providing Sunderland bring in some attacking reinforcements this summer, Hemir seems likely to be moved out on loan.
Then names like Eliezer Mayenda who’s currently on loan at Hibernian, Jewison Bennette also seems to face an uncertain future as well.
But one name who could well be sold after several years with the club is Elliot Embleton.
The midfielder joined Derby County on loan ahead of this season but would return to the Stadium of Light with a season-ending thigh injury, after making just one league appearance for the Rams.
He last played in September last year.
Kristjaan Speakman will surely try to offload Elliot Embleton this summer
Embleton is another who’s come through the youth ranks at Sunderland.
He’s got 92 total appearances to his name for the Black Cats, with an impressive return of 10 goals and 11 assists, including a goal in the League One play-off final in 2022.
But he’s certainly fallen out of favour since Sunderland’s return to the Championship.
The club’s decision to loan him out this season proves that, and his injury certainly gives Kristjaan Speakman some food for thought.
At 25 years old and having had no lucky on the injury front, Embleton certainly looks like surplus to requirements right now, and his sale could open up a nice little gap in the wage bill for someone much younger to come in.
Embleton doesn’t seem to be any closer to a return to action, and so it may be that we’ve seen the last of hm in a Sunderland shirt.
Sunderland return to action against an out of sorts Watford side this weekend, where the Black Cats and Mike Dodds will look to avenge a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Millwall last time out.