Sunderland saw a vision of a future without Dan Neil on Saturday, and it wasn’t appealing

The “Club Communication” was the one that no one would have desired to hear.

Not a press release declaring that Chris Rigg has inked his first professional contract at the Stadium of Light, or that Steve Cooper would take over as Sunderland’s head coach prior to the 2024–2025 campaign.

Rather, it was confirmation of an injury that had been circulating for days, had rattled people’s cages in the lead-up to Sunderland’s match against Millwall, and involved one of the club’s most important players.

Until the Lads travel to Alicante in the summer, at the latest, Dan Neil won’t be seen in a red and white shirt. During the season, the homegrown midfielder has greatly improved his reputation and established a compelling case for Sunderland’s “player of the season.”

Moreover, should the worst happen, it may be the final occasion we witness him representing us in a competitive match, following our recent journey to the Hawthorns.

Thus, it brought into sharp relief how things could appear by the beginning of the next season as we began about the task of trying to handle a tough and abrasive Millwall team with a temporary engine room of Jobe and Pierre Ekwah unable to establish any meaningful control against the aggression of the visitors.

To put it plainly, it would be devastating if Neil left Sunderland this summer. Even for those of us who still have hope for the team’s recruiting, we would be deluding ourselves if we thought he could be readily replaced.

Neil’s move from Stadium of Light may be equally plausible if Jack Clarke’s departure is confirmed (even in spite of his oddly lackluster recent performances), given there have been persistent rumours of Premier League interest in him and his performances this season have been consistently excellent.

Although Clarke garnered attention in 2023–2024 by carrying our goal-scoring potential on his small shoulders, Neil is the driving force behind our team. He maintains order and class in midfield while also never letting up on his defensive responsibilities.

It’s true that Neil can use more assists in his repertoire and that his shooting isn’t his strongest suit, but why couldn’t that happen gradually? Players of his age are never expected to be flawless, and the fact that he has had such an impact despite being far from at his best speaks plenty.

Neil’s game will only improve if he joins a Premier League team with elite teammates and coaches. Just as Adam Wharton rose from Blackburn to become a mainstay in Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace team, I firmly believe Neil could follow a similar trajectory.

In actuality, he’s one of our team’s most valuable assets, and three years after making waves during our 2021–2022 League One season and then making a major impact during the next two Championship seasons, you can’t really blame him for assessing his options and deciding whether a move away would be best for his long-term growth.

After a turbulent season in which hopes of promotion have faded into a campaign of mid-table mediocrity, loyalty to a club (which in Neil’s case is real, deep-seated, and lifelong) versus ambition and a desire to test yourself at a higher level is always a difficult tradeoff. In this case, it must be put to the ultimate test.

However, despite how unpleasant Neil’s possible departure may be, it speaks volumes about the football education he has gotten on Wearside and his personal dedication to improvement.

The recent crop of talented young players to come out of Cleadon, Sunderland’s academy, includes Chris Rigg and Tommy Watson. However, it takes more than ten years for an all-around midfielder of Neil’s caliber to break through; the last local player to match Neil’s combination of skill, football acumen, and sheer work ethic was Jordan Henderson.

To put it plainly, we have to utilize every bit of Neil’s potential. As I’ve said for a long time, we won’t fully understand what he has to offer until he’s gone.

Hopefully, we can repel any potential suitors in the summer and relish Neil’s presence in Sunderland’s midfield for a minimum of one more season.

If he does leave, it will probably be for a significant sum and make financial sense, but we will lose a unique talent and a player who would be a fantastic addition to any elite team that expresses interest.

I sincerely hope that hasn’t happened yet.

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