Sunderland Face Major Contract Decisions as Masuaku, Patterson and Hjelde Near Exits
Sunderland are heading into an important period regarding the future of several first-team players, with the club facing a series of major contract decisions and potential departures.
A number of players currently have relatively short periods remaining on their existing agreements, meaning Sunderland must decide whether to offer new contracts, sell players while they can still generate a transfer fee, or allow them to run down their deals.
According to reports from the Sunderland Echo, seven players are currently entering the final 12 months of their contracts. Several of those players are already expected to leave the Stadium of Light, with movement on a number of deals gathering pace.
Arthur Masuaku is among the players preparing to depart Sunderland, with the experienced defender expected to complete a move to Turkish side Konyaspor. Abdoullah Ba is also set to leave the club, with the midfielder reportedly heading to League One outfit Peterborough United.
The Black Cats could also see two more familiar faces move on this summer.
Defender Leo Hjelde is reportedly close to joining Belgian club Mechelen, while goalkeeper Anthony Patterson is understood to be undergoing a medical ahead of a move to Wrexham.
Patterson’s potential departure is particularly significant given his history with Sunderland. The goalkeeper came through the club’s Academy of Light before establishing himself in the first team. He played an important role during Sunderland’s rise through the divisions and was part of the squad that secured two promotions.
His departure would therefore mark the end of a lengthy association with the club and bring an emotional chapter to a close.
Sunderland’s decision to allow Patterson and Hjelde to pursue moves also makes sense from a contractual perspective. Both players were approaching the latter stages of their existing agreements, and moving them on now could prevent the club from losing them for nothing later.
The situation is also worth monitoring for several other experienced members of the squad. Luke O’Nien and Reinildo Mandava are currently among those whose contracts could expire at the end of the season if new agreements are not reached.
That leaves Sunderland with some important decisions to make as they continue restructuring their squad.
At present, several players are listed as having contracts running until the summer of 2027. That group includes Simon Moore, Masuaku, Reinildo Mandava, Alan Browne, Luke O’Nien, Aji Alese and Abdoullah Ba. With Masuaku and Ba already expected to move on, the club could soon have fewer players from that group remaining.
Players whose contracts currently extend into summer 2028 include Thomas Meunier, Granit Xhaka, Patterson, Wilson Isidor, Jenson Seelt, Hjelde and Hemir. Patterson and Hjelde could soon be removed from that list if their respective transfers are completed.
Sunderland’s longer-term squad planning looks considerably more secure, with a number of important players tied down beyond 2028.
Nordi Mukiele, Omar Alderete, Brian Brobbey, Dan Ballard and Enzo Le Fee are currently contracted through the summer of 2029.
Meanwhile, several younger players and recent additions have agreements running until 2030. That group includes Trai Hume, Melker Ellborg, Robin Roefs, Simon Adingra, Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Habib Diarra, Nilson Angulo, Chris Rigg and Jocelin Ta Bi.
With several departures approaching, Sunderland will now have to balance short-term squad changes with their longer-term plans. The club’s handling of these contracts could play an important role in shaping the squad for the seasons ahead.
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