Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson was linked with a move to Leicester City last week.
A report from The Northern Echo revealed that Leicester City were readying a formal bid for Patterson, 22, who’s enjoyed a standout season in the Championship. The youngster has featured in all 35 of Sunderland’s league fixtures so far, keeping 10 clean sheets in what is his maiden season in the second tier.
But Leicester City could now prise Patterson from the Stadium of Light this summer. It’d be a huge blow for Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray, who had this to say on the links to Patterson last week:
“You wouldn’t want to lose Dan Neil or Anthony Patterson at 21-years-old or so. You would hope that you could find a way, contractually, to secure them. But if the model becomes that we’re going to sell players along the way, then you hope that you get the top prices for them so that there is money to reinvest back into the team.”
But Mowbray may have been slightly relieved to see that Leicester City were also linked with Preston North End’s Freddie Woodman last week. After the Patterson rumour emerged, it was said that Woodman was on Leicester City’s radar after an impressive Championship season from him, with Rangers and Leeds United also linked.
So for Sunderland, Patterson to Leicester City doesn’t seem like an inevitability. The fact that the Foxes are said to be readying a bid remains worrying, and it certainly seems like Leicester are in the market for a new no.1 in the summer. But there’s a lot of talented goalkeepers out there, especially in the Championship – Patterson and Woodman to name a couple – so expect other names to come onto Leicester’s radar in the coming weeks.
Sunderland return to action v Norwich City this weekend, where they’ll look to avoid a fourth-straight defeat in the Championship.
