Southampton weighing up transfer move for Sunderland man, £20m may be required | OneFootball

Southampton are interested in Sunderland keeper Anthony Patterson, although a £20m price tag could make a deal difficult.

Highlights

Southampton are interested in Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson, although the Championship side could demand up to £20m for their keeper.

The 24-year-old has established himself as the number one at the Stadium of Light over the past two-and-a-half years, and despite Sunderland’s struggles last season, as they finished 16th, Patterson was one of few to emerge with credit following his performances.

Not only does the former England U21 international impress with his shot-stopping and ability to collect crosses, he is also comfortable in possession.

Southampton keen on Anthony Patterson

Therefore, it’s perhaps no surprise that Patterson is on the radar of clubs in the top-flight, with previous reports claiming that the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal were monitoring the stopper.

And, it appears another club has joined the race for Patterson, as Sun journalist Alan Nixon has revealed that Russell Martin is a fan of the player, who can distribute the ball in the way the Saints chief wants.

However, any deal could be difficult to do, as the update states that Sunderland value their key man in the £15m to £20m range, whereas Southampton would ‘prefer to do business at half of those prices’.

Sunderland must demand a big fee for Anthony Patterson

A price tag of £15-20m seems very fair for Patterson in the modern game, as we’re talking about a young keeper who could easily play at the top level for the next decade. Plus, he’s proven himself as one of the best in the Championship.

So, there’s no way that the Black Cats should be entertaining any offers at half that price, meaning it’s hard to see Southampton getting a deal done if they don’t change their stance.

Of course, failure to go up will have ramifications for Sunderland, but they have a lot of valuable assets at the club, and the reality is that the likes of Jack Clarke or Trai Hume could be sold, and they would give new boss Regis Le Bris some funds to improve the squad.

With Patterson, he is also under contract until the summer of 2028, so there is absolutely no need for the Wearside outfit to sell.

Furthermore, a serious injury to Gavin Bazunu means Southampton are going to be desperate for a new number one going into the season, so that desperation may strengthen Sunderland’s hand if negotiations do begin.

Sunderland's transfer plans

With the new manager now finally in place, attention will turn to the market for Sunderland, and it’s clear that a lot of work needs to be done.

The reality is that a big sale may be required to do the necessary business, but you would expect Clarke to be the man who makes a move for that to happen.

Then, it’s about adding real quality to this group, with a new striker sure to be the priority, as scoring goals was a major problem for the team last season. The fans will also feel that other areas need to be addressed, so it will be intriguing to see what deals get done ahead of the deadline and how Le Bris’ squad looks come the new season.