Anthony Patterson transfer latest: Liverpool, Sunderland contract details, Tony Mowbray prediction | OneFootball

Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson is one of the finest shot-stoppers in the Championship and has kept an impressive eight clean sheets from 27 league games this season, a feat bettered only by four other second tier goalkeepers.

The 23-year-old is a Black Cats academy product and has become a key member of the first team in recent seasons, starting in all 46 Championship matches last season, while he has also been ever present so far this campaign.

The Black Cats boast one of the best defensive records in the Championship, conceding just 30 goals so far, which is an effort Patterson has played a big part in, and according to FotMob, the ace has a save percentage of 69.7%.

Patterson is pivotal to the Mackems' play-off push, but a 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town on Saturday saw the North East outfit slip out of the top-six and leapfrogged by a resurgent Coventry City who defeated midlands rivals Leicester City 3-1.

Liverpool interested in Patterson

Patterson's impressive performances this season have caught the eye of Premier League title contenders Liverpool, according to the Mirror, but Black Cats fans may not have to worry about the loss of one of their star men just yet, as the report says: "Jurgen Klopp has identified Sunderland's Anthony Patterson as a potential replacement for Caoimhin Kelleher should the Liverpool goalkeeper leave the club in the summer."

Given that Patterson is playing every minute of every game for the Black Cats, the prospect of becoming a second-choice goalkeeper for Klopp's Reds may not be overly attractive, but if Kelleher departs Anfield, then the current Black Cats shot-stopper could have the opportunity to play in cup competitions at Anfield.

The 23-year-old's future at the Stadium of Light may hinge on whether or not the Black Cats manage to earn promotion to the top flight this season, while their chances of finishing in the play-off spots remain high despite Saturday's loss.

Lengthy Patterson contract could make transfer fee expensive

Back in September, the Black Cats 'keeper signed a contract extension, keeping him at the Stadium of Light until 2028 so it will not be easy for any club to prise him away from his current employers.

His contract situation means that the Mackems are in no rush to sell their man, so they are in a position where they can wait until the right offer comes in for Patterson, who has one cap for the England Under-21s.

According to TransferMarkt, the ace has a market value of £10m, but with four years remaining on his current deal, the Black Cats could try and cash in an even bigger profit from their academy graduate, especially with a Premier League giant such as Liverpool expressing their interests in the 23-year-old.

Mowbray's past transfer warning

The former Mackems manager believes that in order to retain the services of Patterson, the club must earn promotion to the Premier League, and he even compared the 23-year-old to England number one Jordan Pickford, who also came through the Academy of Light.

Speaking to Chronicle Live in September, while he was still Black Cats boss, Mowbray said: “Patto has still got a bit to do to get to Jordan's level, but he has the potential to do that, of course. You watch him in training and it is hard to beat him because he has such a big frame. He has wonderful attributes for a goalkeeper, he is very, very, calm, and he generally does very well at keeping the ball out of the net.

“If anything, the club has to keep progressing as fast as we can to keep our best players because what will happen ultimately, if we don't threaten the play-offs again or maybe get to the Premier League, the best players at this club are going to get taken by Premier League clubs. The best-case scenario for this club over the next few years is to push on and try to get to the Premier League so we can recompense these footballers and pay them the salary that they are happy with as they come through at the club they want to be at.

"Let's hope that's what happens, otherwise their talent will attract clubs that can pay them more money and give them Premier League careers. I think Patto falls into that category. He is a very, very, talented young guy.”