Anthony Patterson is perhaps one of the most sought-after young goalkeepers in the nation when he initially took the top post at Sunderland in early 2022.
He has been frequently linked to moves to the Premier League as a result of his strong performances for the Black Cats over the past two seasons. During the summer transfer window, there were rumors that Patterson was being courted by Southampton, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Celtic.
Following Gugliemo Vicario’s recent ankle injury, Patterson is also reportedly a target for Tottenham Hotspur.
But the most recent team to be linked to a deal for the 24-year-old is Manchester United, led by Ruben Amorim.
Since helping Sunderland win the League One play-off final in 2022, Patterson’s reputation has grown even more. The academy graduate has been almost constant since Sunderland returned to the Championship, missing just five league games since their promotion back into the second division.
Although his 2024–25 season has been significantly delayed by a muscular ailment, Patterson has already maintained two clean sheets from four games after returning in the 1–1 draw with Millwall on November 23.
Patterson has preserved more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the Championship, and he has played a significant role in Regis Le Bris’ team’s stellar start to the campaign.
We asked our in-house Black Cats analyst, Jack Austwicke, if Patterson could step up to the Red Devils or if a transfer to a team of that caliber is currently too much for him.
“I think it’s ridiculous that Patterson isn’t good enough to start for Manchester United,” he stated.
“They hired Andre Onana, a finalist in the Champions League, as their goalie, but some people still don’t think he’s good enough. Will a Championship goalie be adequate, then?
He is unquestionably capable of playing in cup matches, serving as a backup, and filling in when Onana is hurt. However, I’m not ready to be the captain of a team like Manchester United, the biggest club in the nation.
While the potential blow of losing Patterson would be softened slightly by receiving a substantial fee for the young ‘keeper, it would leave Sunderland short of long-term options in goal.
Simon Moore deputised for four games with Patterson sidelined earlier this season and although he kept three clean sheets in that time, all three came against struggling sides, in the form of Oxford United, QPR and Preston North End.
Moore, 34, is also nearing the end of his career and can’t realistically be the starting goalie for a team that will be focused on earning a play-off berth or better because he has only played seven league games in the last two seasons.
Blondy Nna Noukeu is the club’s only other senior option, but because the 23-year-old hasn’t made a senior appearance in the Football League, it would be a huge ask for Le Bris to also look to him.
With that considered, if Patterson was to depart the Stadium of Light in January, the money received for him would need to be re-invested quickly or the Black Cats could face issues in the second half of the season.
