It could be a busy transfer deadline day for Sunderland, but while fans eagerly await the arrival of new players, it seems one man is on his way out.
For the last few days, most of the talk around Sunderland has been regarding young Tommy Watson and his potential Premier League switch.
An initial bid for Watson came from Brighton over the weekend, but the Black Cats knocked that back. However, the Seagulls are not giving up their pursuit.
There has been talk of offers of upwards of £8m for Watson already, but it seems the structure of any potential deal is taking a new shape as we hurtle towards tonight’s deadline.
Tommy Watson heading to Brighton for medical
It would appear the Watson saga is the one Sunderland deal to keep an eye on today, as fresh developments are pouring in right now.
The latest comes from journalist Pete O’Rourke, who took to Twitter/X to claim that Watson is now travelling down to Brighton for a medical ahead of his proposed transfer.
Apparently, Sunderland chiefs have now agreed to let the teenager thrash out personal terms and carry out his medical, which surely means an acceptable offer has been sent to the Black Cats already. It is not known what that deal entails as of this moment.
However, as per the Daily Mail, it has emerged that Sunderland have demanded Brighton send Simon Adingra in the opposite direction.
We already knew Sunderland wanted a replacement before letting Watson go, and it would appear they are now trying to kill two birds with one stone as part of this negotiation with Brighton.
Adingra’s potential move to Wearside is believed to be a loan with an obligation to buy, with promotion being the key factor there.
This could be a great deal for Sunderland in the long-run
While losing a player of Watson’s quality and potential is a blow to Sunderland, on the whole, this has to be seen as a positive for the Black Cats.
The club has been urged to use the funds from Watson’s sale wisely, with a potential eight-figure sum going a long way for a Championship club.
That’s not to mention the fact that, if Sunderland can get someone like Adingra in until the end of the season, they will have effectively covered the loss of Watson immediately.
It will be a shame to see Watson leave, but Sunderland can be the real winners in this saga. That £10m (or more) fee could well be the difference between promotion and staying in the second tier, or indeed, between survival and relegation in the Premier League next season.