Which Black Cats are on the move?
WITH a week to go until Sunderland must submit their retained list, Phil Parkinson has decisions to make.
EFL clubs have until next Tuesday to release their official retained list, indicating which players remain under contract, which players have been offered new deals, and which players will be released.
The Black Cats have already confirmed that defender Tommy Smith and striker Kyle Lafferty have departed at the end of their short-term deals, but the futures of nine firstteam players are still unclear.
So who deserves a new deal – and who has reached the end of the road?
JON MCLAUGHLIN Sunderland must do everything they can to keep to the Scotland goalkeeper, without paying silly money.
The Black Cats will offer him a new deal, but whether they can meet his terms is another matter – there was a big gap between the parties when the club held initial conversations with his agent last summer.
If there is any truth to reports of interest from Championship side Blackburn, it could be tough to convince him to stay but they have to try. VERDICT: Deal
TOM FLANAGAN Flanagan has been in and out of the side this season and, while he has come in for criticism at times, he has something to offer as a squad player.
The Northern Ireland international can play in a couple of different roles and that versatility makes him a useful asset.
VERDICT: Deal
CHRIS MAGUIRE Maguire has an option built into his contract to extend for another year. I would want to see him stay – he gives Sunderland a bit of bite and aggression, along with no little skill.
He is capable of scoring goals from outside the box, either from open play or set-pieces, and in tight games he has made the difference. VERDICT: Deal
DUNCAN WATMORE Watmore has endured an injury nightmare, twice rupturing his cruciate ligament, meaning he has started only 21 games since December 2016. The deal that is about to end is the contract Watmore signed in 2015 – on Premier League wages – when he was riding high as an England U21 star.
He knows he can’t command the same wages now, and this is a natural end point to his time on Wearside. VERDICT: No deal
JOEL LYNCH
Lynch has been a solid performer this season but Sunderland may well set their sights higher this summer.
Phil Parkinson brought in Bailey Wright on loan in January and preferred him to Lynch.
This summer there will probably better options out there – or at least no shortage of players just as good. VERDICT: No deal
JACK BALDWIN Alongside Flanagan, Baldwin was half of Sunderland’s preferred centreback pairing in the 2018-19 season.
While he looked good on the ball, he made too many mistakes and ultimately lost his place last summer. The writing was on the wall when he was allowed to join League Two Salford City on a season-long loan. VERDICT: No deal
ALIM OZTURK
Ozturk has carved out a niche as decent central-defensive cover. He is not the most elegant player, but the back three Sunderland have played since Christmas suited him.
However, like Lynch, I expect Ozturk will leave with the club confident they could improve on him.
VERDICT: No deal
ETHAN ROBSON Academy product Robson spent the first half of this season on loan at League Two club Grimsby but was left kicking his heels when he came back to Wearside in January.
Robson made his senior debut in September 2017 but he has played less than 15 first-team games since.
It would probably suit both player and club if he moves on.
VERDICT: No deal
BENJI KIMPIOKA
Sunderland have offered him terms but he shows no sign of committing his future to the club.
The Sweden U21 international really needs a more challenging environment, yet he is not good enough to play at first-team level on Wearside. Sunderland need to make him an offer simply to protect their rights to compensation if, as seems likely, he moves this summer. VERDICT: Deal (for the reason above)