Sunderland, despite slumping to a dire 16th placed finish in the Championship last campaign, will still be anxious that their top talents will be forcibly removed from them by higher-up clubs this summer.
Jack Clarke won't be short of suitors queuing up for his services, having scored 15 times last season for Sunderland as a constant bright spark even when the wheels were coming off, with Russell Martin's newly-promoted Southampton side already reportedly eyeing up a major move.
Anthony Patterson in-between the sticks for the Black Cats is also another name always touted to be leaving for luxurious new pastures, with Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers avid admirers of the homegrown Sunderland goalkeeper in the past.
Patterson continued to stand out for his lowly side, much like Clarke, when everything looked to be against them this campaign and he could finally be rewarded by sealing that big move away soon.
Patterson's season in numbers
The struggling Wearside outfit wouldn't stand in the way of their former academy prospect upping and leaving this summer, having amassed 123 first-team appearances for his boyhood club all whilst only being 24 years of age.
Missing just one game all of last campaign, the 6 foot 2 'keeper managed to pick up a respectable 13 clean sheets, even with the collective team winning only two of their final ten league games of the season.
Stat
Patterson
Goals conceded per game
1.2
Saves per game
2.6
Goals conceded
52
Clean sheets
13
Saves made
117
Goals prevented
4.06
Kept busy throughout the topsy-turvy season from a Sunderland perspective, Patterson will now want to taste Premier League football after many years of performing well in the second tier, having previously gone close with his current employers under Tony Mowbray in the play-offs.
Mowbray recognised the top efforts of his shot-stopper just last season, describing the 24-year-old as "very talented" and possessing an "amazing" temperament after a stunning performance against Fulham in the FA Cup, which saw him instinctively deny two Cottagers shirts in quick succession.
The drab campaign that has just slammed shut could be seen as a natural close to Patterson's time with the club, with the promising shot-stopper striving to play higher up now.
If Sunderland are to cash in this off-season, they'll be fully aware that they will make a substantial profit – if Patterson's Football Transfers valuation is anything to go by – with the 6 foot 2 'keeper costing them £0 to nurture and grow into a Premier League-capable star in the youth set-up.
Patterson's transfer value in 2024
Looking at Football Transfers, Patterson's hefty valuation of £10.9m makes him the most expensive asset in the Sunderland camp currently, even with the exploits of Clarke being highly praised for the Black Cats.
Clarke falls short of Patterson's high valuation by coming in at £7.5m, in contrast, which is a surprise considering the ex-Tottenham Hotspur's winger name is constantly branded about for a monumental switch up to the top-flight.
Exploding into life in the men's team during the 2022-23 season, as can be seen in his price skyrocketing looking at the table above, Patterson's rise could be used as inspiration for many of the youth players at the Stadium of Light attempting to make it.
That could be the case for 17-year-old Matty Young – who is also a goalkeeper – already being tipped to be a "future number one" for the club, according to football journalist Craig Stoddart.
Sunderland will keep their fingers crossed they can keep a firm grip on Patterson for another Championship campaign, but wouldn't turn their noses up at the prospect of raking in significant millions if a team does come in for him, amid significant Premier League interest.
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