⁠West Ham and Everton should have given Sunderland AFC key motivation to strike player agreement | OneFootball

Kristjaan Speakman confirmed contract talks are on hold until the summer.

After a difficult start to the season, Dan Neil has emerged as a key part of Regis Le Bris' side, and he is justifying why he was handed the captaincy last summer.

Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old attracted Premier League interest during the winter window, with West Ham United and Everton linked with his services.

Kristjaan Speakman confirmed contract talks are on hold until the summer, but given the interest in Neil, he should have secured an agreement already.

Premier League interest in Neil justified by top class performances

Sunderland's captain came under fire earlier in the season, as he took time to adapt to his more defensive role in Le Bris' side, but to Neil's credit, he acknowledged he must improve.

Speaking in December, he said: "I know deep down that I didn't start the season very well, as a footballer you know when you're not playing at your best."

With over half the season gone, the midfielder has ramped up his performance levels and has chipped in some vital goals, with his strike against Middlesbrough a catalyst for the comeback victory.

Neil's ability to create chances out of nothing is highlighted in his attacking statistics, with the midfielder chipping in with two goals and three assists despite his expected goals (xG) and expected assists (xA) tallies being below one.

The 23-year-old is Sunderland through and through and his leadership on the pitch has been a key part of the Black Cats' success this campaign.

West Ham and Everton were reportedly interested in Neil in January, which should have prompted the Sunderland hierarchy to take contract action.

With Speakman confirming the club will wait until the summer to revive contract talks, the central midfielder will only have a year remaining on his current deal.

Sunderland face Neil contract conundrum in the summer

While it is too early to know what the Wearsiders' fate will be come the end of the season, they will face a battle to keep Neil if they fail to achieve promotion.

Neil spoke about his contract situation after the Black Cats' 3-2 win over Swansea City. He said: "In terms of the contract stuff, my only goal is to get us promoted this season."

Speakman followed the same narrative when discussing the midfielder's future and alluded to Sunderland's strong Championship campaign.

The Wearsiders' director of football said: "I don’t think at the minute, it’s the right moment to be getting into too much of a conversation with them. We’ve got so much to achieve, and we need to stay focused."

Only Neil knows why he has not sealed a fresh deal at the Stadium of Light, but this is not the first time discussions about his future have come to the fore.

One thing that is for certain, if Sunderland fail in their promotion bid, then Premier League clubs will come calling and Neil will have a decision to make.

The Black Cats will hope that Neil can lead the club back to the top flight and remain on Wearside - the place he calls home.

While there is so much football to be played and so many variables that will contribute to the midfielder's future, nothing will become clear until the summer.