Sunderland’s summer ahead could go one of two ways: either they’re gearing up for a return to the Premier League or they’re fighting to not lose all of their key players.
Right now, Sunderland sit in 4th place of the Championship table. Promotion is certainly on the cards for Regis Le Bris in his first season on Wearside, and he’ll be a whole lot closer to achieving it if his side can take something for Leeds United on Monday night.
If the Black Cats go on to earn promotion then it’ll return the club to the top flight after an eight year hiatus. And already the club has their first summer signing lined up if they earn promotion, with Sunderland obliged to spend £20million on Enzo Le Fee from Roma in the event of promotion to the Premier League.
If not, Sunderland look set to field interest in a number of their star players. Already there’s reports of teams eyeing up summer bids for the likes of Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham and more, so not earning promotion would inevitably see a big turnover in the Sunderland squad in the summer, albeit with the owners raking in a lot of cash.
But the Black Cats have just been dealt what’s likely to be a seven-figure cash blow ahead of the summer, after reports revealed that Brighton are readying a weaker summer bid for Tommy Watson.
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Brighton want to pay less for Tommy Watson
On the final day of the January transfer window, Brighton tried and failed to sign Watson. Reports claimed that the Sunderland academy gem was ready to head down south to see through the deal, before the Black Cats rejected what would’ve been a £13million total package for the 18-year-old.
Since, it’s been claimed that Brighton will make a move again in the summer, having tried to sign Watson last summer as well. But more recent reports have stated that Brighton will offer less for Watson in the next summer transfer window.
Per Alan Nixon, Brighton’s need for a new winger will be less severe in the summer transfer window than it was on the final day of the January window. But more alarming is the fact that Watson likely won’t get a lot of game time in the final weeks of the season.
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Sunderland are usually very good at ensuring their players don’t get too close to the end of their deals. But Watson seems like an exception on that front with the player out of contract in 2026. Sunderland want a new deal for Watson but how likely that is remains to be seen.
Indeed, it may be unlikely now, given that Watson faces an uphill battle for game time. The arrival of Le Fee and Le Bris’ decision to play hm on the left could leave Watson in the dark, especially so if Le Fee is kept on the left as Watson and Romaine Mundle make their returns.
Putting the pieces together, it now seems like Brighton’s £13million offer for Watson in January was a very generous one. That’ll ring even truer in the summer if the Seagulls come in with an offer that’s well below £13million, and Sunderland accept through fear of losing Watson for nothing in 2026.
If no new deal is agreed for Watson then a summer move seems nailed on for the young winger.