“No rush” - Pundit tells Sunderland to stand firm as Leeds United, Aston Villa and Leicester City chase defender | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer insists that Sunderland should do all they can to keep hold of Trai Hume as interest grows in the talented defender.

Trai Hume continues to impress for Sunderland

It has been a disappointing campaign for the Black Cats, with the 5-1 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers last time out another real low point.

After finishing in the play-off places last season, there was an expectation at the Stadium of Light that they would be able to do similar again this time around, but instead the side are in mid-table.

The board will have to take the bulk of the blame for that, with their managerial decisions certainly not helping along the way.

However, there have been some positives for Sunderland this season, with the form of Hume undoubtedly falling into that category.

The Northern Ireland international joined the Wearside outfit from Linfield in January 2022, and he has developed into an assured full-back since the move, with his performances going up a level this season.

That has attracted attention from other clubs, with reports claiming that Leicester City and Leeds United are keen on Hume, with Napoli and Aston Villa also monitoring his situation.

Pleasingly for Sunderland though, Hume has a deal that runs for another three years, and they also have the option to extend the contract by 12 months, so they are under no pressure to sell.

Carlton Palmer urges Sunderland to keep Trai Hume

Following on from that, ex-England international Palmer told FLW that Hume sticking around at Sunderland looks the best move for all parties right now, as he continues to develop and improve.

“I don’t think Sunderland should be in any rush to sell Trai Hume. He’s under contract until 2027, and they will be looking to kick-on and reach the Premier League under the right manager.

“Hume’s value is only going to go up. It’s been reported that they would want £8-10m which represents a huge profit, but at 22, he’s only going to get better, so there’s no rush.

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“There’s always a concern for Sunderland when you come to a transfer window, that there’s always people looking to sign their players, and that’s the model the club are working with.

“We know that Jack Clarke is going to move, probably for £15-20m, so there’s no rush for Hume to be sold as well.”

Sunderland’s summer plans

Following on from that, as Palmer states, there is a real possibility that Clarke will leave, so that should reduce the need to sell Hume.

We know that Sunderland’s strategy is about buying young, talented players and selling them on for a profit, but there also needs to be an understanding that they’re a big club that has to be pushing for promotion.

So, it’s about getting the right balance, and there’s a lot of work to do over the coming months to ensure the team are challenging in 12 months time.