"We sold Pickford for £30m" - £8m Anthony Patterson, Sunderland transfer claim questioned | OneFootball

Highlights

It has been a bitterly disappointing campaign for Sheffield United, and the club have already started preparing for life in the Championship.

The Blades have been relegated after finishing bottom of the Premier League, and attention has turned to building a squad ready for Championship football.

They have been linked with a move for Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, with the club set to offer the Black Cats a fee of £8million for the 24-year-old.

Sheffield United aren't the first club that Patterson has been linked with recently. Liverpool and Arsenal have also been linked with the Sunderland man in the past, and the Black Cats face a battle to keep hold of him this summer.

Given Patterson's performances and interest from Premier League clubs, perhaps Sunderland will be looking to hold out for more than £8million this summer.

Sunderland urged not to sell Anthony Patterson for £8million

Despite £8million being a lot of money for a Championship club, our Sunderland fan pundit, Jack Austwicke, has urged his club to either hold out for more money, or not sell Anthony Patterson at all this summer.

He said: “Probably would want a bit more for Patterson, I think he’s worth more than that as a young English goalkeeper.

“It was seven years ago that we sold Pickford for £30m, and I know that was a lot for a goalkeeper at the time, but he’d had no more than half a season of Premier League experience, and we were relegated.

“I think Patterson has got more to him. I’m not saying he’s better than Pickford, but I think he’s got more to prove, as he’s only 24, and he’s got a long future ahead of him. “If we can keep hold of him then I think we should do so as Sheffield United aren’t blessed financially, especially with the position they’re in at the minute, so £8million would be a lot to fork out for him. I think we can at least demand more or not sell him at all.

“I wouldn’t be desperate to see him go, absolutely not. I think he’s a good goalkeeper.”

Sunderland could sell Anthony Patterson for more than £8million

Given his age, nationality and performances this season, there's absolutely no doubt that Sunderland should be holding out for more than £8million.

Sunderland supporters would be able to accept Patterson moving to a club like Arsenal or Liverpool, even if it is as second choice, but would find it harder to accept him joining a fellow Championship club, particularly for a fee of just £8million.

With a contract at the Stadium of Light until 2028, there's absolutely no reason why Sunderland should be selling Patterson for £8million this summer, as he has four years left on his deal, giving him and the club some security.

Patterson has secured his status as one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship, and Sunderland supporters would rightfully be angry if he was sold to a rival for a fee that small.