Tony Mowbray hopes homegrown midfielder Dan Neil signs a new contract on Wearside and becomes a 'legendary' player who helps Sunderland back to the Premier League. Academy graduate Neil played a major part in Sunderland's promotion from League One last term in what was his breakthrough season for his boyhood favourites, and he has gone on to establish himself as a regular in the side at Championship level.
He still has two years to run on the long-term contract he signed in October 2021, but there is a recognition within the club that that deal does not take into account the progress he has made over the last 18 months. And with Premier League clubs having already shown interest, Sunderland have reportedly held advanced talks with a view to offering the 21-year-old improved terms.
With star striker Ross Stewart currently involved in protracted negotiations over a new deal, head coach Mowbray has become used to being asked about contracts but has repeatedly made it clear that those matters are handled by sporting director Kristjaan Speakman. But he has made it clear that he wants to keep Sunderland's emerging talents if at all possible, as he looks to develop a squad capable of challenging for promotion to the top flight.
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"It's not my domain, but I am sure that these conversations are going on with our talented young players," Mowbray said, when asked whether Neil is close to signing a new deal. "What I would say about Kristjaan and the club - I reference Kristjaan because I don't know how much the owners behind him get involved on a daily basis because I'm not sitting in his office listenting to who phones - is that I'm sure they know the ones we are trying to sign and the ones we are trying to give new contracts to.
"I know agents sometimes sit and think they're going to get £100,000 per week, but they are not going to get it. This club has a structure and it's really interesting.
"Clubs find it really difficult to break structures sometimes, and I never sit here stamping my feet and telling them they should be doing this or they need to be doing that. I coach the team, they produce the players, but I see the dilemmas.
"The better this team does with players of 21, 22, and 23, if they are very good then Premier League clubs with their huge riches will be enticing their agents and saying 'listen, we'll give him this much and we'll deal with Sunderland'. It becomes difficult to get deals done, but hopefully the deals can get done - especially for the local lads who want to play for their team in the Premier League, hoping that somewhere down the line they can become legendary players for this football club and get well paid along the way and enjoy the success of playing in front of these amazing supporters."
Negotiations with Stewart's representatives are ongoing, although the club has activated an option in his existing deal to extend his stay for another 12 months until the summer of 2024. Like Neil, goalkeeper Anthony Patterson is another academy graduate who is attracting admirers for his performances this season, with Leicester City linked with him this week, although he signed a new contract only last summer which ties him to the club until the summer of 2026.
Sunderland also recently handed influential skipper Corry Evans a new 12-month contract, with an option of another year, as a sign of their faith in the 32-year-old as he recovers from a cruciate ligament injury.
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