Alan Browne not likely to have Sunderland future, Middlesbrough’s deal chances revealed
Alan Browne has impressed since joining Middlesbrough on loan from Sunderland.
Sunderland sit fourth in the Premier League after 11 games, with a lot of their success coming as a result of the business conducted in the summer.
The Black Cats added 14 new faces to their squad, many of whom immediately dethroned some of the players who played a crucial role in Sunderland’s promotion-winning campaign.
Browne, having joined Middlesbrough on loan, was one of them, and it remains to be seen what the future holds for the Irish international.
Middlesbrough unlikely to move for Alan Browne in January
Since the summer, Browne has made 10 appearances for Boro, starting five times.
Similar to how he fared at Sunderland, the 30-year-old hasn’t set the world alight at his new club, but has been a consistent performer in a squad that have aspirations of promotion.
Despite that, Craig Johns, when speaking exclusively to Mackem News, believes that his future is something that will be assessed at the end of the season, with a future at the Stadium of Light looking unlikely.
The Gazette Boro reporter said: “I guess to some extent it’s a surprise he’s played as many minutes as he has, given the situation he arrived at this summer.
“But he’s proven a success and a reliable figure every time he’s been on the pitch; there’s certainly no surprise there.
“In regard to his future, a lot would likely depend on the kind of fee Sunderland would want. As things stand, it’s hard to imagine Sunderland will be relegated back to the Championship this season, and, with that in mind, it’s hard to see Browne having much of a future at the club.
“It seems unlikely Boro do anything in January unless absolutely forced into it. They had a similar situation a couple of years ago with former Sunderland prospect Sam Greenwood, who, at this stage of the season, was playing excellently.”
Summer transfer could become a priority for Middlesbrough
Sunderland’s midfield has been the driving force of their success this season.
Granit Xhaka has been remarkable, and Noah Sadiki has already been mooted for a big move as a result of his displays.
With that in mind, Craig Johns thinks that Middlesbrough may wait until the end of the campaign before deciding on Browne’s future, though it may depend on the outcome of their goal.
Browne’s stats this season
- 87.2% pass accuracy
- Four chances created
- Seven completed dribbles
- 16 tackles won
- 38 duels won
- 59.4% duel win rate
“I’d imagine the preference at Boro is to see this one out until the end of the season and assess things again at that point,” he said.
“If he continues as he’s going, and Sunderland don’t demand too big a fee, I can see Boro making a move next summer.
“That being said, Boro are currently in the mix for promotion, so if they were to achieve that, it would likely change things for Browne yet again.”
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