League One Sunderland reportedly want to keep Joel Asoro but Championship outfit Swansea City have been heavily linked of late.
Sunderland were always going to lose players this summer after being relegated for the second year in a row. But Joel Asoro’s impending move to South Wales not only hits the Black Cats hard now but also robs them of their most exciting future talent.
Asoro became Sunderland’s youngest ever Premier League player when he made his debut against Middlesbrough in August 2016, but he has made just 33 more appearances for the Wearside outfit in the last two years.
Having said that, the Chronicle adds that manager Jack Ross and owner Stewart Donald wanted to keep him at the Stadium of Light and his impending departure is undoubtedly a blow.
And according to Ross, it seems very unlikely now that Sunderland have any hope left of holding onto perhaps the biggest young talent in League One.
“Joel was scheduled to take part in the last half an hour of the game but obviously things have moved on in terms of possibly leaving the club,” the former St Mirren boss told the Sunderland Echo after Tuesday’s 1-0 pre-season defeat to Darlington.
“Pre-match nothing had been finalised so unless that has changed post-match, it is not finalised. But it looks more than likely that he will leave the club.
“Ideally as a manager you want to keep all your good players but I understood the position we’re in when I arrived. I would say it was inevitable really.”
Asoro has been linked with clubs higher up the footballing pyramid ever since making a name for himself in the Sunderland youth team, with local rivals Newcastle United among those heavily interested. So at least Sunderland fans can be relieved that Asoro will not be plying his trade on Tyneside next season.
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