Key player poised to quit the club on a permanent basis, dealing a severe blow to Sunderland

30-year-old is about to go from Sunderland

At the Stadium of Light, Alex Pritchard seems to be out of favor as Sunderland has brought in a bevy of fresh stars.
Pritchard, who has come off the bench in both of Sunderland’s Championship games, appears to be last in the pecking order, which suggests that his time with the Black Cats is running out.

The impending deadline has obviously opened the door for an exit, and Tony Mowbray has stated that Pritchard’s chances of revitalizing his Sunderland career appear to be slim.

What did Tony Mowbray say regarding the future of Alex Pritchard at Sunderland?

Prior to Sunderland’s match against Rotherham United on Saturday, Mowbray acknowledged that Pritchard was likely to leave the organization before the summer transfer window ended. I enjoy Pritch, he said via the Northern Echo. Pritch is a talented athlete.

“I don’t want to be very directive about it, but Pritch appears to be leaving the football team. We must move past that and continue; that is football.Every football player is aware that the game is temporary. I had a testimonial at Middlesbrough after spending 12 years there, but that is really uncommon in today’s game of football. Supporters are aware that football players arrive and depart.

“I can’t talk about Alex’s condition openly since it’s a little more complicated than that. Although he is an excellent football player, there is a good chance (probability) that he will depart the team in the next weeks. If not, we can continue our conversation after the window closes.

Why is Alex Pritchard leaving Sunderland?

Despite two solid seasons for the Black Cats, which included promotion via the League One play-offs in the 2021/22 season and qualifying for last season’s Championship play-offs, it appears he is likely to leave.

Logistically, that is down to the new transfer strategy that the club has brought in. Bar Bradley Dack signing on a free transfer from Blackburn Rovers – a player that Tony Mowbray knows well from his time at Ewood Park – the Wearside outfit have signed Jobe Bellingham, Jewison Bennette, Abdoullah Ba and Pierre Ekwah in the last year. This has inevitably pushed the older, more experienced players down the ranks, and if they can replicate loans such as Amad Diallo and Edouard Michut’s in the coming weeks, there will be admittedly no place for Pritchard in the side.

It’s a sad reality for the midfielder, but with Elliot Embleton, Dan Neil and prodigy Chris Rigg in the mix too, the Black Cats are going for a youth approach and it sees Pritchard looking for a new club.

Who is likely to play in Alex Pritchard’s place?

Out of any of the candidates, Embleton is likely to be the man to step up in Pritchard’s place.

The youth academy product made a huge impression for Sunderland in Pritchard’s time at the club, and being six years his junior, it makes financial sense to depart with the Tottenham academy product.

It will see Dack come into the side from time to time, whilst Rigg will get the chance to impress despite