Leeds United, Celtic and Southampton want to sign Keiren Westwood from Sheffield Wednesday – after Sunderland let him join the Championship side.
Keiren Westwood could just have become one of the most in-demand goalkeepers in English football this summer.
And this is yet another slap in the face for a Sunderland side whose cheeks will already be bright red after an embarrassing season which has them on the verge of relegation to League One.
Sunderland released Westwood in the summer of 2014 and allowed him to join Sheffield Wednesday on a free. And a man who made just 19 league appearances in three seasons for the Black Cats wasted no time in blossoming into one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship.
And Westwood would simply stroll into Sunderland’s starting XI these days.
Chris Coleman’s Wearsiders have let in 76 goals this season, a tally only Burton Albion can better, with Lee Camp, Jordan Steele and Robbin Ruiter all coming in for a great deal of criticism as all tried and failed to prove themselves as reliable number one.
A long time might have passed since Sunderland opted not to renew Westwood’s contract but, four years on, that decision could not look worse.
While three clubs are already climbing over each other to sign the 33-year-old this summer, Sunderland fans could be forgiven for wondering if his presence between the sticks would have saved them from life in League One.
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