Sunderland have agreed an £8m transfer with Championship side Wrexham for academy graduate Anthony Patterson. According to Sky Sports, the goalkeeper is now on his way to Wales to complete a medical. Talks between the two clubs have been ongoing for several weeks, with an agreement now in place.
Patterson's rise and fall at Sunderland
Patterson broke into the Sunderland side under Lee Johnson in League One, helping the club win promotion from the third tier and then reach the Championship play-offs the following season. He was also a standout performer for Regis Le Bris' side as they won promotion to the Premier League in 2025, making crucial saves in the play-off final against Sheffield United.
However, the club's rebuild last season and the arrival of Robin Roefs pushed Patterson down the pecking order, and he spent the first half of last season as an unused substitute. In January, he joined Millwall on loan for the second half of the season, helping Alex Neil's side secure a play-off finish. The Lions were beaten by Hull City, and Patterson returned to the Stadium of Light for pre-season.
Exodus begins at Sunderland
Several Championship clubs have been keen on signing the 26-year-old, and his time at the club is now nearing an end. It has been a quiet transfer window for Sunderland so far, with Thomas Meunier the only new arrival on a free transfer from Lille. There has been a focus on trimming the Black Cats squad this summer, and Patterson's exit is set to start the dominoes falling.
Forgotten man Abdoullah Ba is closing in on a move to League One side Peterborough United, having not featured for the club since Le Bris arrived, according to Sky. The French midfielder spent the second half of the 2025 campaign on loan with Dunkerque but spent the entirety of last season at the Academy of Light.
Defender Leo Hjelde is also set to leave Sunderland in the coming days, with Belgian side KV Mechelen closing in on a deal for the Norwegian defender. Sunderland remain in talks with prospective signings, and Le Bris is confident his side will sign players before the window closes at the end of the month.
