Fulham have announced their released and retained list after the conclusion of the 2021/22 season, and the Whites have released one player that may be of interest to Sunderland.
Indeed, Xavier Benjamin has been let go by Fulham, and Sunderland may be the team that eventually picks the teenager up on a free transfer.
The defender was actually on trial with the Black Cats earlier this year, and now that he’s available on a free, the Wearside outfit could swoop.
Sunderland are back in the Championship and will need to bolster their ranks, and the signing of Benjamin could be a shrewd one.
The youngster was highly-rated at Fulham before his release, and it’s fair to say that the Whites have a history of making mistakes at youth level.
Indeed, while it’s easy to turn your nose up at a player who has just been released by Fulham before making his professional debut, let’s not forget that Fulham also released the likes of Omar Richards, Djed Spence and Eberechi Eze as teenagers before giving them a real chance.
Eze, Spence and Richards have gone on to become stars in their own right, and there’s every reason to believe that Benjamin could follow in their footsteps.
This youngster has had injury problems in the past, but if he can put his fitness issues behind him and find an opportunity at Sunderland, he could be a real asset for the Black Cats in years to come.
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