Championship side Sunderland are understood to have renewed their interest for Wigan Athletic star Sam Tickle.
The England Under-21 goalkeeper was of previous interest to The Black Cats but with no movement surrounding a potential sale of current keeper Anthony Patterson, no move has materialised.
Le Bris Looks For Replacements
Patterson has been rumoured to be leaving for a Premier League side across recent windows, with Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City all linked to a transfer. Spurs have been revealed to still be pursuing a deal after their first-choice keeper Guglielmo Vicario was ruled out for a significant time due to an ankle injury.
According to TalkSPORT and relayed by the Sunderland Echo, Sunderland have been weighing up their options should that move happen and once again have landed on the Latics keeper. Both Tickle and Patterson are under contract at their respective clubs until 2028.
Shaun Maloney has heavily relied on his goalie, with the 22-year-old being an ever-present last season and has already played 17 League One games so far in this campaign. The Tics have the second-best record in the third tier when it comes to goals conceded, with only Wrexham letting in fewer.
The Echo understands that Sunderland are not looking to sell Patterson in January, leaving the move for Tickle likely to be made in the upcoming Summer transfer window. A move for The Black Cats keeper is not necessarily guaranteed for Spurs, with Burnley’s James Trafford also linked with the White Hart Lane club.
Writer’s View
It does look inevitable that Sam Tickle will leave his boyhood club Wigan Athletic within the next 12 months and Sunderland would be a brilliant choice for him to go to. It all depends if Anthony Patterson does get a Premier League move. It could all collapse should Sunderland achieve promotion this season but with the wide interest the former Notts County keeper has generated, it does feel likely to happen. Tickle is definitely already at a Championship level and deserves to prove himself in the second tier.
