League One Sunderland are reportedly determined to keep Paddy McNair, who is a target for Premier League newcomers Wolverhampton Wanderers.
It has not all been Portuguese wonder-kids and Jorge Mendes favourites at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Championship winners have recruited their fair share of established homegrown talent, too; John Ruddy and Ryan Bennett in particular forming part of a formidable defence that enabled Wolves to end their six-year exile from the Premier League.
And, according to the Northern Echo, Wolves have identified Sunderland’s Northern Irish midfielder Paddy McNair as a solid if not spectacular transfer target. McNair, who moved to the Stadium of Light from Manchester United two years ago, shone despite the Black Cats’ relegation to League One and Brighton have allegedly made a number of bids already.
Sunderland do need to sell a number of their high-earning players this summer with Didier Ndong, Wahbi Khazri, Papy Djilobodji, Jack Rodwell and Lamine Kone among those up for sale.
But McNair, who the Northern Echo report is valued at £7 million, is hardly being pushed towards the exit. Far from it.
“I think most people within football realise Paddy McNair is likely to be the best midfielder in League One,” Donald told the Wise Men Say podcast recently. “On that basis we don’t want to lose him.
“He’s got two years (left) on his contract and he hasn’t expressed a desire to leave as far as I’m aware at this stage. If he doesn’t want to leave and Jack (Ross, Sunderland’s manager) wants him in his team, he’s going nowhere.”
It remains to be seen, then, if Wolves are simply running down a blind alley with this one. Although surely they have the funds to make Sunderland an offer they simply cannot refuse.
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