Sunderland tried to sign the player before he made the move to Swansea City.
Sunderland manager David Moyes has made a habit of bringing defenders to the Stadium of Light, but one that got away could ultimately be the Black Cats’ biggest regret.
Prior to his switch to Swansea City, Mawson was linked with a move to Sunderland, with the Daily Mail claiming Moyes had bid £3million for the then-Barnsley player.
Instead, the centre-back moved to the Liberty Stadium, and on recent evidence he could blossom into one of the Premier League’s best defenders.
After a shaky start to life in Wales, with Swansea struggling at the wrong end of the table, Mawson has now grown into a fine player, whose performances in the victories against Liverpool, Southampton and Leicester City show just why Sunderland were so keen to get their man.
That they didn’t is a regret Moyes will have to live with as he watches Swansea move swiftly up the table while his Sunderland side remain rooted firmly to the bottom.
Mawson is not the only reason Swansea are impressing under new manager Paul Clement, but his importance cannot be understated.
Still only 23, the defender has a very bright future, while many of the defensive options Moyes did ultimately bring to Sunderland continue to struggle and frustrate in equal measure.
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