Danny Owen
 

League One promotion hopefuls Sunderland loaned Jack Baldwin to Salford City last summer – he is yet to play under Phil Parkinson.

Jack Baldwin is on his way out of the Stadium of Light with the Echo reporting that Sunderland are all-but certain to release the centre-back this summer.

A lower-league centre-back who moved to Wearside in a £200,000 deal in the summer of 2018, Baldwin is one of a whole host of Black Cats players who are out of contract in the near future.

But unlike Jon McLaughlin, Duncan Watmore, Chris Maguire and co, all of whom remain key a part of Phil Parkinson’s plans going forward, it looks for all the world that Sunderland fans have seen the last of Baldwin in red and white.

The former Peterborough United captain has not made a single appearance under Parkinson, having joined League Two newcomers Salford City on loan back in September.

It is no coincidence, meanwhile, that the Manchester-based outfit have produced their finest performances of the campaign with Baldwin at the heart of their backline.

But Sunderland are not exactly short of options at centre-half and it appears that there is no room at the inn for Baldwin going forward – especially with the promotion hopefuls keen to land Bailey Wright on a permanent basis from Bristol City sooner rather than later.

Though with plenty of Football League experience under his belt, a real leader of a defender should not be short of offers come the summer.

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