Academy product Anthony Patterson is in no rush to leave Sunderland this summer despite his performances in the Championship attracting admirers further afield. At 23 years old, and already established as the club's number one, goalkeeper Patterson is regarded as one of the Black Cats' biggest assets and in February reports emerged crediting Leicester City and Wolves with an interest in him.
But Patterson signed a long-term contract on Wearside last summer which runs until 2026 meaning the club does not have to sell - although Sunderland's recruitment model would make a big-money offer a tempting proposition. For his part, Patterson is understood to be happy at Sunderland where he played every minute of every league and play-off game last season.
Leicester are reportedly on the lookout for a new goalkeeper but their relegation to the Championship means they will be competing at the same level as Sunderland next term, making a move to the King Power Stadium less of a step up. While a move to Premier League Wolves would likely mean that Patterson would not be first-choice - at least not in the short-term - and therefore it would not be such an attractive option.
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Patterson is likely to remain at Sunderland next season and continue as first choice, a role he took on when he was recalled in January 2022 from a loan spell with non-league Notts County as the club dealt with a Covid outbreak that had affected both their senior goalkeepers at that time. He helped the club win promotion from League One via the play-offs 12 months ago, and then was a key member of the team that finished sixth in its return to the Championship before losing out in the play-off semi-finals.
Patterson's performances have earned him international recognition and he is in the provisional England U21 squad for this summer's Euro U21 Championships to be held in Romania and Georgia, and which gets under way later this month.
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