Sunderland AFC urged to resist Everton & West Ham transfer advances for “irreplaceable” midfielder
The Black Cats may have to make a tough decision before the transfer season ends since Sunderland skipper Dan Neil has been linked to transfers from West Ham United and Everton.
Alex Crook of talkSPORT claims that the 23-year-old is attracting interest from Premier League teams. The first to disclose Everton’s interest was Mike McGrath.
Crook went on to say, nevertheless, that Sunderland is interested in keeping their young talent on the club.
Sunderland urged to retain Dan Neil with bumper new contract
While the top flight interest may be eye-opening, our Sunderland Fan Pundit Jordan believes that a large new deal should be offered to convince the midfielder to stay on Wearside. We asked Jordan if he believes Neil is ready to make the move to the top flight of English football.
“With the rumours about Dan [Neil] with Everton and West Ham, he does deserve a Premier League move for the way he’s been playing,” Jordan stated in an interview with Football League World. It’s okay if some folks have different opinions.
“However, from knowing the guy at school, growing up with Dan for about two or three years, playing football with him, and getting to know each other via school.
“He’s performed admirably. Many claimed that the strain was too much for him and that he may have had a rough few games in Sunderland this season after taking the captaincy.
However, I don’t believe he needs the transfer right now. Being a local boy, he is obviously ideal here and motivates his squad.
He is also among our top midfield players. Together with Jobe [Bellingham] and [Chris] Rigg, he keeps the team cohesive in the middle of the pitch, and those three players are of the highest calibre for us.
I wouldn’t let him leave, in my opinion. I am aware that he turned down two of them with 18 months remaining on his contract.
“If he wants to leave after, if we may not go up, then that’s perfectly fine by me. It would be a heartbreaking thing to see, because obviously it’s his team growing up, it’s the team he’s supported since he was young.
On the other hand, I believe a team like Everton would be classy and ready for a Premier League squad. Naturally, they aren’t winning many games, they are having trouble at times, and a lower-tier team like Everton is probably the one he would fit with best given his age.
Even though he would likely be irreplaceable if he left this window, I do believe that a lower team like Everton would be a wise choice if he were to win the Premier League.
However, aside from that, I doubt I would ever let him go. Until Dan wants to leave on his own, I wouldn’t let him go. He is extremely underappreciated, but he has been excellent. He has obviously received a lot of criticism when he
“So, if I was Sunderland, I’d try and get another contract done at the end of the season, see what happens. If he wants to go, then try and persuade him to stay, or if not, then unfortunately, we would have to let him go.
He would be extremely irreplaceable right now, and I believe he would become much more so if he departs, but we can’t stop them from doing it because it’s clearly what he would want.
Although he appears to be playing more on the left at the moment, I know [Enzo] Le Fee would be a strong choice to take his spot.
Other than that, though, I’m going to say no. Don’t sell him. Instead, attempt to prepare a better contract now that he’s captain and we’re performing well.
I’m going to advise you to keep him. If at all possible, attempt to keep him here as long as you can till he makes up his mind that he wants to accept any of the offers.
January speculation over Dan Neil isn’t ideal for Sunderland and their promotion push
As Jordan stated, Sunderland needs to make sure their captain isn’t upset by rumours of a Premier League transfer.
The Black Cats have a lot of quality on board for the battle, and they have hardly been in a better position to return to the top flight in their recent history. Neil, an academy product and lifelong fan, would go down in the history books of Stadium of Light if he guides the team to that final destination.
Dan Neil in the Championship this season, as per WhoScored
Start (Sub)
27
Goals
1
Assists
3
Tackles per 90
1.9
Interceptions per 90
1.3
Pass success rate
84.4%
Considering his age, Neil will still have the opportunity to advance if he puts in a lot of effort and ends this season well. If the team he supports wins promotion, he might even have the opportunity to do so.
It would be difficult to break into a Premier League team in the middle of the season. Any discussion of a move for Neil should definitely wait until the summer because Sunderland is now in a strong position.
Leave a Reply