Sunderland ‘only have themselves to blame’ amid latest Dan Neil update
Dan Neil is rapidly approaching his last year on his contract at Sunderland, and he is not the one to blame.
With promotion still on the cards for Sunderland, most of the focus has been on happenings on the pitch and around the training ground.
When taking into consideration their position ahead of the final eight games, that is warranted, though the lack of focus elsewhere could prove to be detrimental come the summer window.
The likes of Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg have already been linked with huge moves away from the Stadium of Light, and as per the latest update, it won’t be long until the interest ramps up on Neil.
Neil sale could become tempting this summer
Sunderland will not want to lose Neil at all, let alone in the summer, but the current contract situation on Wearside makes it a ropey subject.
It is believed that Neil is waiting to find out which division Sunderland are in before committing to a new deal with the Black Cats [Sunderland AFC News], though that could have been avoided if they offered him a deal earlier in the season.
| Sunderland | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Dan Neil | 187 | 12 | 20 |
Having come through the academy, Neil has been a key figure for the Mackems this season and was deserving of a new deal far before now.
If promotion isn’t achieved, it would leave Neil with one year left on his contract, with Sunderland inevitably left between a rock and a hard place when it comes to deciding his future, and they may have to cash in when the chance is still present.
Championship stay would be disastrous for Sunderland
Sunderland will lose a whole host of key players if they fail to achieve promotion this season, which would, in turn, make it even harder for the,m to make a return to the Premier League.
Given the position they find themselves in, Sunderland will very rarely be afforded a much better opportunity to achieve promotion back to the top flight and they need to take it.
Form has been on the slide as of late, but if the Black Cats can start to gain some momentum, success can certainly be grasped with both hands.