Jack Baldwin could lead a summer exodus from Sunderland with the Northern Echo reporting that the centre-back will not be offered a new contract when his current deal expires at the end of this month.
Football is a cruel game at times.
When the League One season was paused back in March, Phil Parkinson’s Black Cats were outside the play-off places but, crucially, just a couple of points away from the automatic promotion positions.
But any hopes they had of forcing their way into the top six have been scuppered, with the EFL opting to finish the 2019/20 campaign on a Points per Game basis.
That means Sunderland have been consigned to another season of third-tier football – a financial calamity for a club who’s entire business plan appeared to revolve around a return to the Championship.
The Wearside giants are now at risk of losing a host of key players, including Chris Maguire, Jon McLaughlin and Tom Flanagan.
Though Sunderland fans won’t lose much sleep worrying about Baldwin’s departure. A 2018 signing from Peterborough United, the 26-year-old defender spent all of 2019/20 on loan at Salford and it appears that he has already played his last game in those iconic red and white stripes.
The Echo say Baldwin won’t be offered a new deal.
But maybe Sunderland will regret that decision, if the likes of Bailey Wright, Tom Flanagan and Alim Ozturk go too.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
