How much do you reckon we would ask for (realistically?). We are in a very poor negotiating position if we don't go up. £10m plus a decent sell on clause?
Why are we in a poor negotiating position? The lad has just signed a long term contract, he's a local lad who has stated his desire to get us back to the PL. Why is everyone assuming we'll sell him for 50p the instant we fail to get promoted
There's nothing to suggest we are in a poor negotiating position imo, we probably don't need to sell him and the lad is under contract. He's also a massive Sunderland fan. Whatever happens this season I'd like to think we issue a "hands off or pay our value" message to clubs about any of the players we want to keep.
Honestly I don't really know, but we certainly don't need to give our players away for next to nothing. Both Neil and Stewart are worth more than the record £11m League One transfer that's for sure, purely based on the massive rise in the cost of average players these days.
the fact there's PL interest should provide a marker. plus he's young, english and seems a very level-headed young lad. when you see some of the fees paid these days we shouldn't be afraid to aim high. we got 20 million for Henderson 10 years ago, that would be my starting price with a big sell-on clause.
Tbf I didn't suggest he would go for next to nothing, I'd said £10+ add on I'd be starting around 20 as well and with huge sell on and appearance/England apps etc.
Same League we've been in for 4 years when he was happy to be at the club. Embo too. Same league Ross Stewart, Alex Pritchard ad Bailey Wright were happy to sign up for
He was 15 when we got relegated to L1 though, not sure what options he had at that stage of his career. Will be interesting to see what happens with the others you have mentioned at the end of the season whatever league we end up in. Wright is out of contract I think. Good defender and seems a good leader imo.
I'd be keeping Wright regardless of what division we are in. Stewart is the only one I'm concerned about losing if we don't go up. Having said that, we are a big enough fish in L1 to bring in a better striker than everyone else in the division
I believe he was rested when AN first came in. He could have featured near the end of the season but I think he wanted more of a fighter in all positions. Teams has us sussed under LJ and it needed stopping! I'm convinced he will want him in the team next season, probably over the next two legs.
I'd offer Wright at least another year, probably 2 tbh. Major problem if Stewart goes, we plucked him from Scotland, and relatively unknown. Who would we go for in a similar style? I've genuinely got no idea tbh.
Yip he certainly would, I said we should have been after him in the Jan window. He looked a great backup for Stewart.
It will be interesting in the summer to see how it plays out. I dont know if Alex Neil either doesnt rate him / doesnt trust him / doesnt think he fits his style of play. I dont believe the over played routine is credible anymore though. He might see him as the saleable option that gets him his transfer pot. Maybe Dan Neil will say he needs to play to keep progressing, which I think is true. Maybe Alex Neil will see him as his key man once he gets the players aroiund him to help him shine more. I have a horrible feeling he will go and I will be gutted as he is the best young player in many a year, and as others have said we always cash in. Dan Neil is a future star of the game and I could see him shining at Palace under Viera, or at Brighton in their style of play. I hope it doesnt happen, but the signs are worrying.
