Sunderland ‘linked’ with surprise England U21 international transfer ahead of January window.
Sunderland have been linked with an England under-21 international ahead of the January window
Sunderland have been re-linked with a move for England youth international goalkeeper Sam Tickle.
The Black Cats have been liked with the 22-year-old Wigan Athletic shot-stopper in previous windows with nothing ever coming of the transfer rumour. That is likely because Anthony Patterson has been Sunderland’s number-one for three-and-a-half seasons now.
However, with Patterson reportedly attracting interest from Tottenham ahead of the January window, Sunderland have once again been linked with Tickle by broadcast outlet talkSPORT. Patterson remains under contract at the Stadium of Light until 2028 with Kristjaan Speakman under no pressure to sell, making the Englishman’s sale in January pretty unlikely.
Patterson has also been linked with the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Celtic and Arsenal, but it would likely take a monster bid for the Black Cats to consider selling midway through the season. It is possible that Tickle is seen as an eventual replacement for Patterson with Sunderland hoping to have a succession plan already in place like with Romaine Mundle and Jack Clarke.
Tickle played every game for Wigan Athletic in League One last season and has remained first-choice for the Latics this campaign, playing in 17 league games already during 2024-25. Last May, The one-cap England under-21 international committed his long-term future to Latics, with the goalkeeper’s new contract set to run until the summer of 2028, like Patterson’s.
Tickle is a youth product of Wigan Athletic, having joined their youth academy in 2012. He was released at the end of the 2018 season but managed to earn a scholarship with the Latics just a year later following a stint with non-league side Pilkington.
