With the season ending in a few months and several Sunderland players on loan and having contracts expiring in the summer, speculation about their futures at the club may soon arise.
They currently occupy the tenth spot in the table, seven points below the top six. However, while they strive to get better on the field, their focus off the field may soon shift to assembling a stronger team in preparation for the upcoming campaign. Here are three players who might have played their final game for the Black Cats in light of that.
Bradley Dack
Bradley Dack has had a difficult season due to injury, and this is not his first season wearing a Sunderland shirt. He has only made five starts so far in this campaign, scoring just once, and is currently sidelined once more due to an injury.
Jack Diamond
Another player whose contract is up in the summer is Jack Diamond. Currently on loan at Carlisle United, the 24-year-old has not had any influence on the appalling performance of the League One team.
When his current contract expires in the summer, he will probably be let go for free because Sunderland’s hierarchy has a lot of players ahead of him.
He has a lot of players ahead of him in Sunderland’s hierarchy, so it is likely that he will be let go for free when his current contract expires in the summer.
Ellis Taylor
Taylor’s chances within the first team seem limited at the moment, despite his youth, and that situation is unlikely to change anytime soon. His contract expires in June, so he may not play football for the Championship team in the future. At 20, he will probably want to be playing football regularly.
All of this could, however, alter before the season ends. Taylor has been used in the Carabao Cup earlier in the season and on the bench when necessary, so if all parties think it is appropriate, a new contract could be offered.