Three players likely to be in demand should Sunderland be relegated, including England stars

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Sunderland’s best talents will likely leave if they can’t avoid the drop.

David Moyes has endured a torrid time at the Stadium of Light

This season has followed a familiar path for Sunderland supporters with their club embroiled in a relegation battle.

Sadly this time it looks as though the Black Cats won’t manage to stay up though, with David Moyes’ men seven points adrift of safety.

Many of their players will look to leave should they be relegated, but here are the three who will likely be most in demand.

Jermain Defoe

With 14 Premier League goals already this season, off the back of 15 last time out, Defoe has showed he’s still got it and even earned an England recall.

Jermain Defoe scored on his return to England action

With top strikers in short supply, plenty of top flight clubs will be in for him and according to the Daily Mail, if Sunderland go down he can leave for free.

Defoe for free would be a coup for any number of teams, while he’d also stand to receive a generous wage as a result. Win-win, unless you’re a Mackem.

Jordan Pickford

Jordan Pickford in yet to win a senior cap England, but is on Gareth Southgate’s radar

For the numerous Premier League teams with question marks at the goalkeeper position, Pickford – a rising star who is proven in the division – would be an attractive prospect.

Given Sunderland’s apparent shortage of money, cashing in on their most valuable asset besides perhaps Defoe – for whom they stand to receive nothing – would be tempting.

However all this doesn’t necessarily mean Pickford will leave. As a boyhood Sunderland fan, and knowing that Championship goalkeepers have been in England squads in recent times, he could well decide to stay.

Didier Ndong

Didier Ndong has made more tackles than any other Sunderland player.

Given he was the club’s record signing when he arrived, Ndong has underwhelmed but he has looked like a decent holding midfielder at this level and to be fair hasn’t come into a side where it’s easy to shine.

Still only 22, he’s likely to intrigue clubs both in England and France who may well envisage him thriving in a better environment, a la Idrissa Gueye who’s proved a bargain after Everton poached him from relegated Aston Villa last summer.