It might be difficult for Sunderland to keep Ballard around after this season given the Premier League’s interest in him.
Given how crucial the center back is to their team, the Black Cats will undoubtedly need to locate a replacement if that turns out to be the case.
If so, before entering the transfer window themselves, they would wish to consider some of those already signed at The Stadium of Light.
Thanks to Nectarios Triantis and Joe Anderson, two players Sunderland farmed away earlier this season, they do have possibilities to do that.
Triantis, a summer acquisition from Central Coast Mariners, played just three games for Sunderland this season before joining Hibernian on loan during the January transfer window. The Australian has made 12 appearances for the Scottish Premiership team in all competitions since making that transfer.
Anderson, on the other hand, left Everton’s development setup to join Sunderland in January 2023.
Following only four fleeting appearances for the Black Cats, the 23-year-old was likewise sent out on a season-long loan this summer, this time to Shrewsbury Town.
Since then, he has made 29 appearances for his loan team, most notably assisting them in maintaining their League One status for an additional season.
As a result, it could be worth the new Sunderland manager, whoever that might be, considering giving one or both of those players a chance, in case Ballard is lost in the summer.
With both players naturally central defensive, they could fill the space in the squad that could be vacated if Ballard moves on to Everton or elsewhere.
Indeed, with Sunderland set to be competing in the Championship again next season, the duo may now be ready to step in at that level, thanks to the experience they have developed while out on loan this season.
The money Sunderland may obtain from the sale of the Everton target could then be used to bolster other areas of the team if they were able to move up into the team and cover any gaps left by Ballard.
Not to mention, Triantis and Anderson are still bound by long-term commitments with Sunderland.
Because they will be at The Stadium of Light for a while nevertheless, it could make sense for the Black Cats to give those players more of an opportunity to prove themselves there in the event that Ballard needs to be replaced.
Taking all of that into consideration, it seems likely that Triantis and Anderson will be monitoring Ballard’s status in the upcoming months, as it could have an impact on their own possibilities with Sunderland under a new manager the following season.