Mike Dodds may have just hinted at a potential Sunderland player departure in the summer.
For Sunderland, the summer is bound to hold some movement, both in and out the doors at the Stadium of Light.
The inevitable names will surely leave, Jack Clarke and so on, but we could also see some names loaned out; Luis Hemir could be one who really benefits from a temporary move away from Wearside.
Then there’s the returning loan players like Nectarios Triantis who could play a big role next season, as well as the players Kristjaan Speakman is likely to recruit.
And we should see some changes to the recruitment strategy after a mixed bag of signings last summer and in January.
Who will leave Sunderland this summer
Sunderland fans are perhaps tired of hearing about their players being wanted ahead of the summer.
But for the Black Cats, Speakman and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, it’s unavoidable, and actually a compliment to how well they’ve done in terms of developing younger players in the past few years.
Clarke seems like the most obvious one for the club to cash in on, then Anthony Patterson is perhaps next, with Sunderland links to new goalkeepers in the past couple of weeks arguably testament to that.
Jobe Bellingham has fresh interest from Lazio ahead of the summer and if Dan Neil continues his fine end-of-season form, he could come back into the conversation.
But another, somewhat less impressive name (at least recently, anyway), could also be leaving; Patrick Roberts.
Mike Dodds discusses Patrick Roberts future
Speaking ahead of his side’s trip to West Brom in the Championship, Sunderland interim boss Mike Dodds gave an honest insight into Roberts’ current situation.
Roberts has recently returned from injury but hasn’t been anywhere near the levels that Dodds and the Sunderland fans know he can perform at.
Dodds said of the 27-year-old:
“Pat is in a good place, he’s refocused, we’ve had an honest conversation after the Blackburn game in terms of where I think he’s at. I think it’s important we get him onto the pitch going into the summer. Again, it’s the balance of that risk factor. Pat has got to have a big summer; we’ve had that conversation. He’s got to come back really fit, really strong. Patrick Roberts should be the first name on our team sheet, his ability is undoubted. Unfortunately for Pat he will have been at a lot of football clubs where people will have had that conversation. At some point the penny has got to drop for him.”
All signs pointing to Patrick Roberts summer exit at Sunderland
Roberts’ poor form upon his return to the side, and maybe his age is what might prompt Speakman to cash in on the Englishman this summer.
He’s not looked the same and like Dodds says, Roberts really should be one of the leading players in this side, but right now he’s struggling to displace the likes of 16-year-old Chris Rigg and Clarke who’s only just returned from injury too.
Then with Romaine Mundle coming in in January, and with Sunderland bound to sign some attacking reinforcements in the summer, Roberts may quickly find himself as a back-up player at Sunderland, and he’s far too good to be a back-up player in the Championship.
The end of the season will be huge for Roberts and defining in his next step.
He’s certainly out of the age range of players that Sunderland want, though Speakman may be wary of selling all his experienced players after seeing this season fall apart.
Expect Roberts to be given his chance in the final four games of the season, but if he doesn’t take his chance, he could easily be offloaded in the summer.