Predicting which Sunderland AFC players could be sold this summer and for how much | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at three players who could leave Sunderland this summer.

Sunderland have impressed in the Championship this season under Regis Le Bris, so it would be no surprise if a few of their top young talents attracted transfer interest during the summer.

The Black Cats have put themselves well in contention to achieve promotion back to the Premier League this season, with a top-two finish still a possibility at this stage of the campaign.

Regis Le Bris will no doubt be delighted with the way his first season in the dugout at The Stadium of Light has gone so far, and he will be hoping that he can be the man to take Sunderland back into the top flight of English football for the first time since they were relegated in 2017.

Their performances have been excellent for the majority of the season despite having a young squad, but if they are unable to go on and achieve promotion, then there is likely to be a queue of clubs looking to sign their top young talents during the summer transfer window.

In fact, given the quality of some of the players in the Sunderland squad, they may struggle to keep hold of one or two players even if they do go up, so it will be interesting to see what happens following the conclusion of this season.

The likes of Anthony Patterson, Daniel Ballard, and Dan Neil could all attract transfer interest this summer, especially if Sunderland are still in the Championship, but let's take a look at three other players who are almost certain to be on the radar of clubs in higher divisions.

Tommy Watson

Sunderland winger Tommy Watson has enjoyed a breakout season on Wearside during the 2024/25 campaign.

The 18-year-old has had his appearances limited by an injury, but he has still shown what he is capable of in the games that he has played for the Black Cats.

His performances have clearly caught the eye of potential suitors, as Brighton & Hove Albion failed to sign him on deadline day of the January transfer window despite making an offer of £13 million.

Watson was said to have travelled down south in anticipation of the deal being completed, but it never materialised and he remained a Sunderland player.

However, it would be no surprise to see Brighton and other top division clubs display an interest in signing the teenager in the summer.

Considering that a possible £13 million deal was rumoured in January, it seems likely that a similar figure could be enough for Sunderland to sell Watson at the end of the season.

Jobe Bellingham

Jobe Bellingam is another teenager who is likely to attract transfer interest in the summer.

Sunderland are reportedly already prepared to sell the 19-year-old if they do not achieve promotion to the Premier League this season.

Scouts from Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur have been watching the England U21 international, while Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund are also monitoring him, and it seems likely that other clubs will enter the race between now and the end of the season.

Given that the Black Cats are said to be ready to accept a 'huge' offer for Bellingham, it would be no surprise to see the club at least demand a fee similar to the one Birmingham City received from Dortmund for his brother Jude in 2020.

Birmingham agreed a deal that could have reached more than £30 million to sell Jude to Dortmund, and it will be interesting to see how much Jobe goes for if he does leave The Stadium of Light this summer.

Chris Rigg

Sunderland may also face a battle to keep Chris Rigg during the summer transfer window, especially if they fail to win promotion to the Premier League.

The 17-year-old has impressed in the Championship this season, with Le Bris trusting him to start regularly despite his tender age.

Considering his undoubted potential and the level he is already performing at, there is every chance that top clubs will come in for him at the end of the season.

Manchester United were linked with a January move for the teenager, and while Sunderland were not interested in allowing him to leave, it was an indication that Rigg could well be on the radar of some of the biggest clubs in the country.

It was reported that the Black Cats had set a price tag in the region of £30 million during the lead up to January, so that could be what it costs a club to sign him in the summer.

Sunderland will be desperate to take advantage of the quality in their current squad and win promotion to the Premier League this season, as it is an excellent opportunity to do so, and it would increase the value of those players who are likely to be targeted by other clubs.