The Sunderland Echo's Joe Nicholson and Phil Smith assess Sunderland's squad ahead of the 2024/25 season.
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00:00Are you going to attract a top championship centre-half to come in
00:03when you know that them two are going to be the first pairing?
00:06So it's probably going to have to be another younger player.
00:08I'd be very worried if Neil went,
00:10because I thought he was one of, if not someone's most dependable performer last season.
00:30Hello and welcome to the Raw podcast brought to you by the Sunderland Echo.
00:36My name is Joe Nicholson and I'm joined by my fellow Sunderland writer at the Echo, Phil Smith.
00:42At the time of recording, Sunderland are still looking for a new head coach.
00:47We're not going to be talking about that today,
00:48because obviously that news and that conversation could age and date quite quickly.
00:53So what we're going to be doing today is,
00:56we're going to be looking at Sunderland's current squad,
00:59the senior players who are under contract for the 2024-25 season.
01:04We're going to be looking at the senior squad today
01:07and we've gone through the list of the first team players listed on the club website.
01:11There are also a number of players coming back from loan spells at other clubs.
01:16So on this list, Sunderland have 29 players in total,
01:20which is quite a lot with the club looking to make new signings this summer as well.
01:26So we can probably also expect some exits.
01:29So we're going to break it down into each position, starting with goalkeepers,
01:33fullbacks, centre-backs, central midfielders, wide players, attacking midfielders and forwards.
01:40So we'll start with the goalkeepers, Phil.
01:43The senior goalkeepers on Sunderland's books, Anthony Paterson, Nathan Bishop,
01:48and also Alex Bass coming back from a good season on loan at AFC Wimbledon.
01:53We know there's been Premier League interest in Paterson.
01:57For me, it would still be a big surprise if he did leave this summer.
02:01He's under contract until 2028.
02:04Out of the other two, Bass and Bishop,
02:07probably expect at least one of them to leave in search of more senior football.
02:11Is that kind of what you'd expect if Paterson stays
02:14and then maybe promote one of the younger goalkeepers to third choice?
02:19Yeah, I think so.
02:20I wouldn't be surprised if both those players went, to be honest with you, Joe.
02:24Certainly, Bass has got one year left on his contract.
02:27Sunderland do, I think, have the option to trigger a further year,
02:30but I'd be surprised if they did that.
02:32I think, obviously, Bass has had a really good loan to his credit at AFC Wimbledon in League 2,
02:37and I think he's done well and they really like him.
02:39I imagine there'll be EFL interest in him this summer,
02:42and I think it's probably time for him to make a permanent move,
02:46I think, because he's at an age where he'll want to play.
02:48And I think he'll be aware as well that his stock's high,
02:51having had a decent season playing regularly,
02:53not really sure what coming back to Sunderland,
02:56what purpose that would serve him at this stage in his career.
02:59And to be honest, I think it's probably a fairly similar situation with Nathan Bishop.
03:04I know he came to the club knowing that he was going to be behind Anthony Paterson in the pecking order.
03:09I think that was fairly obvious that he was coming in as a number two, if you like.
03:12But I still think he would have liked to have pushed a bit harder and had more football.
03:17I know he played the final game of the season against Sheffield Wednesday,
03:19which Mike Dodds said at the time was a chance to take a closer look at him.
03:23But I think even though we all knew Paterson was going to be number one,
03:26I think Bishop would have been a little bit disappointed
03:27because, of course, the reality of the FA Cup draw against Newcastle meant Paterson played.
03:33And I don't really get the sense at the moment that he's seen as a viable number one.
03:37And at the age he's at, similar to Bass, I imagine he'll want to go and play.
03:40The obvious caveat to that is that Sunderland aren't going to leave themselves
03:43without a backup senior goalkeeper.
03:45So I could only see Bishop going if they felt comfortable
03:48that they were bringing in a sort of dependable backup.
03:51So if you're asking me what I'd expect to happen,
03:53I think there's a good chance both of those will go and someone else will come in
03:56as that sort of support to Paterson, if you like.
04:00I don't see Paterson going at this point.
04:02You definitely can't rule it out because there is 100% Premier League interest.
04:07Paterson has played...
04:08I'd be amazed if there's an English goalkeeper his age
04:11who's played as many AFL games as he has already at this stage in his career.
04:14He's obviously homegrown, which makes him even more attractive to those top clubs
04:18because of the homegrown quarters in their squads.
04:21But I think Paterson also understands that at the moment
04:25he's playing every week in the Championship
04:26and that's given his career a huge sort of boost, if you like.
04:31And I think I don't see him going to a Premier League club
04:34and just sitting on the bench.
04:35If it's a club where there's a really good development plan,
04:37he's going to play the Cups.
04:38He might play in European games, get the odds.
04:41Yeah, maybe, possibly.
04:42But he's under a very long-term contract.
04:44I think he's fairly happy.
04:46So I'd be amazed if Paterson went.
04:48And as you said, obviously, one thing to watch,
04:50certainly over pre-season,
04:51will be how these young goalkeepers fare.
04:53Matty Young, I expect to go on loan,
04:55probably to League Two, maybe the National League next season.
04:58But we'll definitely see more of him pre-season
05:00because he's done outstandingly well at Darlington.
05:02So yeah, my guess at this point would be two out, one in.
05:07And possibly a loan for one or two of the young goalkeepers.
05:10You've got Adam Richardson as well,
05:11who's another really talented young goalkeeper.
05:13So yeah, I don't think it'll be the most high-profile transfers
05:17in that position this summer,
05:18but I definitely expect at least two deals to happen at some point.
05:23Could you see Sunderland spending money on another second-choice goalkeeper
05:25in the scenario that, as you mentioned there,
05:27Bishop and Bass potentially go?
05:29We saw last summer that Bass left out on loan.
05:32They brought in Bishop.
05:34But would Sunderland be willing to pay another fee?
05:36Or do you think that could be a loan?
05:37It's quite a difficult position to address, isn't it?
05:40Second choice when you're coming in
05:41and you know Paterson's going to probably play every game.
05:45Yeah, for that reason, I think you almost rule out a loan, don't you?
05:48Because it's very difficult to see what kind of player a loan would work for.
05:53I could see Sunderland paying a fee, but a fairly nominal one,
05:56I think.
05:56I don't see Sunderland invested in a significant portion of the budget.
05:59I know there's been a debate among supporters,
06:01which I understand for a while,
06:03in terms of getting somebody in who can really challenge Paterson
06:06and ensure he doesn't get too comfortable.
06:08But the reality is, he's one of the biggest assets in the squad
06:11and then they want him playing week in, week out.
06:12And goalkeepers, it's just not a position where you see a huge amount of rotation.
06:16There was a huge amount of debate at Arsenal, wasn't there,
06:18about Rear and Ramsdale and Arteta saying,
06:21I'm going to rotate.
06:22And it was blatantly obvious within a few weeks, wasn't it,
06:24that that wasn't actually going to be the case.
06:26So I could see Sunderland paying a fee, yes,
06:31but a nominal one.
06:32I expect,
06:34it's a time we'll tell,
06:35but I expect it, to be honest,
06:36if someone comes in to be someone in the mould of Basil Bishop,
06:40who's happy to work with Paterson for a period of time
06:43before maybe going off elsewhere to find more regular football,
06:48or theoretically, could it be someone at the later end of the career,
06:51you know, with really good experience,
06:53who's happy to potentially get some cup games,
06:55but also be a bit of a mentor,
06:57that would be a possibility as well.
06:59So I don't see them investing a significant amount in that position,
07:04no, I don't think so.
07:06But at least with Paterson,
07:07you've got someone there who kind of gives that stability there
07:10in quite an uncertain time at the minute with the head coach
07:13and with a lot of other areas
07:14that we're going to come on to address,
07:15at least I think that gives that stability
07:17that you can play every game,
07:18hopefully, providing he stays injury free.
07:21But we'll move on to the full backs.
07:24Obviously, there are a few that can play at full back and centre back,
07:27but the players I've got listed down for full back here,
07:30Dennis Serkin, Timothy Pembele,
07:32Tri Hulme, Ajay Alisaie and Niall Huggins.
07:35Now, obviously, Huggins, we don't expect to play again this year
07:39after that significant knee injury, unfortunately, for him.
07:43And it looks like having Alisaie and Serkin back,
07:47we've spoken about the left back position on this podcast before,
07:50what an issue that's been,
07:51but hopefully having two players there for the left back spot,
07:54and then having Hulme and Pembele in the right back,
07:57it looks like Sunderland are in a decent position at full back
07:59with two options for both right back and left back.
08:02Would you agree with that, Phil?
08:05Yeah, I would.
08:06It's a funny one.
08:06We talked about the left back position loads
08:08as being a position of,
08:09you know, obviously the striker for obvious reasons
08:11was the one that got most of the headlines
08:13and that sort of holding midfield position was the other,
08:15but, you know, left back was a huge issue last season,
08:17but it was a strange one, wasn't it?
08:19Because we were looking at going,
08:20in theory, this is one of Sunderland's strongest positions,
08:23because actually in Circuit de la Lice you've got players
08:25who we all felt could actually be
08:27not just good championship left backs,
08:29but had the potential to be some of the best
08:31sort of left backs in the division.
08:33So if all four of those players are fit,
08:35you know, Pembele, I suppose,
08:36is the one with the biggest question marks over,
08:38because ultimately, even though we saw
08:41some fairly promising signs from him
08:43towards the end of last season
08:44when he finally brought into the team,
08:46it was in quite a controlled environment, wasn't it?
08:48I know obviously Leeds are an excellent team,
08:50but he was playing at wing back,
08:51you had Hulme inside of him,
08:53sort of marking Somerville 1v1.
08:56So I still think Pembele is the one
08:58with the most question marks over.
08:59Will he be happy potentially being second fiddle to Hulme
09:03if Sunderland don't trust him to play in a back four
09:05and that's the formation
09:06that the new head coach wants to play?
09:08You know, is that going to squeeze his game time?
09:10That's the one where I could potentially see some movement.
09:13The other three, I think, are pretty rock solid,
09:15even if there may be some Premier League interest
09:17in Trey Hulme,
09:18Sunderland are in a really strong position
09:19that I'd be surprised if he went in this window.
09:21I think he's one of the few where you think
09:23another year could really see his value go up.
09:27A bit like what happened with Clark last year
09:29when we all said we felt
09:30there was a bit of a year too soon, probably.
09:32I think Hulme's one of three or four in that category.
09:35And then it's just down to fitness, isn't it?
09:36It's certain in the Lycee,
09:38you know, and we know Lycee came back
09:39at the end of last season,
09:40which was a huge boost.
09:41If they're fit and firing in pre-season,
09:43it's no problem.
09:45You know, you've got Leo Hielder who can cover there.
09:47I think he would like, I think,
09:48to push for centre-half next season.
09:50But, you know, ultimately,
09:51he's another option in that position.
09:53Those two are fit.
09:54You know, I think those positions are sewn up.
09:56But, you know, we have to say with a caveat
09:58that it's a bit of an if, isn't it?
10:00Because their injury record
10:01over the last 18 months has been really poor.
10:05I think that's an area as well,
10:06hopefully, like the goalkeeper position,
10:08where Sunderland can have a bit of stability there
10:10in terms of not having to make,
10:12maybe make one signing as cover.
10:14But they've kind of got their options
10:16already sorted there.
10:17Try Hewman.
10:18I know there's been kind of reported
10:19Premier League interest in him.
10:20But he's come out and said that he's happy
10:22to stay at Sunderland.
10:23As you said, probably another year,
10:24probably suits him playing in the championship.
10:27And then if at least Ainshur can stay fit,
10:29Sunderland do look pretty OK in the full-back positions
10:32as well as the goalkeeper position as well.
10:34And certainly kind of,
10:35as we'll come on to later in the podcast,
10:37the priority seems to be further up the pitch.
10:40But moving on to centre-back,
10:42and you mentioned Leo Hielder there as well.
10:43I've got him down as a centre-back on this list
10:46because he has said that he prefers playing centre-back.
10:49So we've got Luke O'Neill, Dan Ballard,
10:51Leo Hielder, Jenson Sealt, Nektaris Triantis,
10:55and Joe Anderson as well,
10:56who's come back from a loan spell at Shrewsbury.
11:00Now it looks like first choice is going to be
11:02O'Neill and Ballard.
11:03It was for much of last season.
11:07Do you see Sunderland looking to bring
11:09another player to strengthen,
11:10or do you think they will be happy with
11:12O'Neill and Ballard as the first choice pairing?
11:14We should also mention as well,
11:15Jenson Sealt probably seems unlikely as well for him.
11:18He's going to play again this year as well,
11:20following that lengthy knee injury.
11:22So perhaps they could go for a bit of cover there
11:24as well as centre-back.
11:27Yeah, I think they might need it.
11:28I think you're right.
11:29I think Sealt's injury is the big one, isn't it?
11:31Because I think, to be honest,
11:32the impression I get,
11:33obviously everyone will have their own opinions,
11:34but the impression I get internally
11:36is sometimes I think they see
11:38a Ballard and O'Neill partnership
11:40as one of the strengths last season,
11:42one of the things that worked pretty well.
11:44So I'm not writing Ekwer off
11:45by any stretch of the imagination.
11:46Maybe a break in the pre-season
11:48will be really good for him
11:49and we'll see him back to his best.
11:50But I just think that blend wasn't right last season.
11:54It's probably not panic stations on that front yet.
12:04The impression I get,
12:04obviously everyone will have their own opinions,
12:06but the impression I get internally
12:07is sometimes I think they see
12:09a Ballard and O'Neill partnership
12:11as one of the strengths last season,
12:13one of the things that worked pretty well,
12:15one of the things that I think
12:17they'd be quite happy taking into next season.
12:19That's not to say they want more competition.
12:24Yeah, so I don't think that's something
12:26that they're looking at going,
12:27is that something where we need improvement.
12:29The question you raise is,
12:30last year you sort of had no,
12:32we're in an okay position, weren't you?
12:33And Sealt was fairly dependable.
12:35Obviously he was adjusting to the level,
12:37but by and large when he came into the team,
12:38he did okay.
12:40And so I think that gives some security.
12:42I think at the moment,
12:43the other players,
12:44there's a huge amount of uncertainty over Joe Anderson.
12:48I think it would be time for a permanent move for him.
12:50I don't know what you think,
12:51but I think obviously he's had a decent loan at Shrewsbury,
12:54but he hasn't played every single week.
12:56And I think that makes it hard to see
12:58him pushing on at Sunderland
12:59and getting on the first team,
13:00albeit you never know what will happen in pre-season.
13:03Treant has played mostly in midfield,
13:05from what I can gather, on loan at Hibbs.
13:08It's not to say he can't come back
13:09and compete at centre half.
13:11He did well in that Birmingham game,
13:13when he had to play alongside Sealt
13:14when O'Neill and Ballard were suspended.
13:17But again, if Ballard or O'Neill
13:19was to get a relatively serious injury,
13:21is Treant ready to go in and play?
13:24Fingers crossed it doesn't happen,
13:25but for two, three months while the others recover.
13:28I'm not 100% sure.
13:29I guess the big unknown in this position is Yelder.
13:32As we talked about there,
13:34I don't think he made a fantastic first impression on fans
13:38in terms of his first few months at the club.
13:39I thought he started okay and then struggled.
13:42As we've said all along,
13:43he was very clear with you, wasn't he, Joe,
13:44when you first interviewed him,
13:46that he saw himself as a centre-half first
13:48and then maybe a full-back sort of his cover.
13:51So I guess in pre-season,
13:52there's going to be a focus on him.
13:54I know there's certainly some people
13:56within Sunderland who agree
13:57that they think he's a centre-half first
13:59and very much a full-back second.
14:01So will they be looking in pre-season
14:02to look at him in training,
14:03look at him in games
14:04and see what he can actually do in that position?
14:07We'll have to wait and see.
14:09Elisa is obviously an option at centre-half.
14:12I think if you've got Serkan and Elisa fit,
14:14is there an argument that you could get both in the team,
14:16whether it be with a back three or a back four?
14:19There definitely is.
14:20So I'm a little bit,
14:22I'm not sure about this one,
14:23which is because the sheer number of players
14:24who could play in that position.
14:26I'm tempted to say it's not a priority
14:28and I don't think it is,
14:29especially when 09 and Ballard,
14:30in my opinion, did pretty well.
14:32But I think there are so many uncertainties
14:35over the players who aren't 09 and Ballard
14:37that I think if they brought in,
14:39you know, some competition,
14:40brought in another player,
14:41especially with Seals' injury,
14:42I think that would be a little bit of a relief for everyone.
14:45So I think it's going to be really interesting
14:46to see how that one develops.
14:47But my suspicion is,
14:48at this stage sitting right here,
14:50is that they might have a look
14:52at those players in pre-season,
14:53Yelder, Treantis, Anderson,
14:55probably to a lesser extent,
14:57see how they're developing
14:59and then maybe make a decision from there.
15:01So definitely not one that stands out to me
15:03as a priority, albeit,
15:05I think in every position,
15:06you're always going to see a little bit of movement
15:08in any transfer window.
15:11I think like the goalkeeper position,
15:12it's difficult to look at the profile
15:15of player you're bringing in
15:16because if you've got Luka and 09 and Dan Ballard
15:18are your first choice pairing,
15:19similar to Paterson in goal,
15:21then are you going to attract
15:23a top championship centre-halves come in
15:24when you know that them two are going to be
15:26the first pairing?
15:27So it's probably going to have to be
15:28another younger player.
15:30You've already invested in Treantis,
15:32in Yelder, who are younger players.
15:34So yeah, I think you're right.
15:35I think we'll have a look at those players
15:37a bit more in pre-season.
15:39I think you're right with Joe Anderson.
15:40I think it's quite clear that he's probably
15:42not going to get a look in at this stage
15:43when he came in the season before, last season.
15:47Suddenly we're desperately short of the back
15:48and he still wasn't getting any game time.
15:50I know he's now had another year to develop,
15:52but seems quite far away from the first team.
15:54So I think probably a permanent move away for him.
15:57And again, he's a player that he's at an age
15:58where he will want to be playing regularly, don't he?
16:00So I think with him,
16:02probably a move away would suit him,
16:04Treantis, potentially another loan move.
16:06Yelder, I think, will be kind of seen
16:09as the backup, won't he, to Ballard and O'Neill.
16:12But a difficult area to predict with.
16:15With Alisse potentially could come in
16:16as centre-back, as you said, as well.
16:18So we'll probably get a much more clearer picture
16:21after pre-season.
16:22And as we've seen in the past,
16:23you can have it all planned out.
16:24You can have O'Neill and Ballard paired
16:27as your kind of first choice centre-back pairing.
16:29And then one of them could get injured
16:30in the first few weeks.
16:31We saw it with Ballard two seasons back, didn't we?
16:33He was kind of Sunderland's big centre-back signing,
16:36expected him to play every game.
16:37And then he got injured, I think it was the third game.
16:40And then he was out for four months.
16:41So it can change quite quickly.
16:44And an injury like that can change your transfer plan.
16:46So that'll be one to watch in pre-season.
16:48But hopefully with O'Neill and Ballard,
16:51Sunderland do have a settled pairing there.
16:54We'll move on to central midfield,
16:56which I think has been an area
16:57where Sunderland have looked quite light for a while.
17:00We've got Dan Neal, Pierre Ecouart.
17:03We've got Jay Matete coming back
17:04from a loan spell at Oxford.
17:07Upper Elliot Embleton in this position as well,
17:10although he can play further forward.
17:12And Chris Rigg as well,
17:13although we've seen him play further forward,
17:15particularly at the end of last season.
17:17There's Joe Bellingham as well,
17:18can play in central midfield.
17:20Sunderland also have an option to sign Callum Stiles
17:23on a permanent deal,
17:24although at the minute he is still a Barnsley player
17:27and he can play in central midfield as well.
17:30So I think we saw last season, Phil,
17:32Neal and Ecouart was the first choice pairing,
17:36but behind that,
17:37Sunderland didn't seem to have that depth
17:39in central midfield,
17:40didn't seem to have a natural hold in midfield.
17:43Now we've seen Corey Evans move on.
17:46So it's probably an area where you would expect
17:48to see Sunderland strengthen this summer, isn't it?
17:52For me, it's a massive priority,
17:54I think, off the back of Evans leaving.
17:56Right now, I think you would be concerned
18:01if Neal and Ecouart were the first choice
18:03centre midfield partnership again
18:05at the start of next season.
18:06It's not really a slight on either player,
18:08it was just the evidence of last season
18:09was that the balance wasn't quite right.
18:12Neither of those players looked at their best
18:15in that more holding midfield role
18:18and when both of them were sort of pushing forward,
18:20Sunderland were very exposed on the counter.
18:22So for me, I think the balance needs readdressing
18:25and it's not a slight on Neal and Ecouart.
18:27I thought Ecouart had an indifferent year last year,
18:30but I think sometimes he gets a little bit lost
18:32that it was still his first full season
18:35seeing professional football.
18:36I think it's easy for him to forget that
18:38he actually hadn't played a senior game
18:39when he arrived at Sunderland only six months earlier.
18:42At that stage of the career
18:43and at that level of an experience,
18:45players, especially young players,
18:46are going to have big dips
18:48and they're going to have moments
18:50where they really kick on,
18:51especially in that part of the pitch.
18:53So I'm not writing Ecouart off
18:54by any stretch of the imagination.
18:56Maybe a break in the pre-season
18:57will be really good for him
18:58and we'll see him back to his best.
19:00But I just think that blend wasn't right last season.
19:04There are obviously some uncertainties
19:06at the moment over Dan Neal
19:07in terms of, I think everybody knows,
19:08he's obviously in contract talks with the club.
19:11He's got two years left,
19:12so he's in the same boat as Jack Clarke
19:14and he's knocked back the initial offer.
19:17It's probably not panic stations on that front yet
19:20because I think there's a scenario
19:21at Sunderland, you know, touch wood,
19:22everything else, get a good head coaching,
19:25you know, ahead of pre-season.
19:27I think Neal still has ambitions
19:29to take Sunderland back to the Premier League
19:31and I think he would like to stay
19:32as long as everything's sort of right
19:34and the level of ambition's there.
19:36I'd be very worried if Neal went
19:37because I thought he was one of,
19:38if not Sunderland's most dependable performer last season.
19:41Obviously Clarke took the headlines
19:42for what he did and rightly so.
19:44But I thought Neal was outstanding
19:46and for me, you know,
19:47he's one of the few players in the squad
19:48who you can absolutely now depend
19:50on a certain level of consistency from.
19:52So I think he has to stay
19:54but I think someone has to come in
19:56who can, who's played a lot
19:59of championship football,
20:01who's got experience,
20:02who is comfortable protecting the back four
20:05as Evans was,
20:06who can move the ball forwards quickly
20:09into those players
20:10who then have that little bit of magic.
20:12I think for me, it's, you know,
20:14we'll go on to strikers
20:15and what have you later.
20:16For me, a proper experienced centre midfielder
20:19is absolutely top of my list.
20:20I think he's vital for Sunderland next season
20:22and then hopefully, you know,
20:24there may be the odd game
20:25where you don't need
20:26that holding midfielder
20:27and you can play Neal and Ekwer
20:29and they can both push forward in turn
20:31and sort of show off their best skills
20:34on the ball and breaking into the box.
20:36But I think for me,
20:37I think he's absolutely vital
20:40and I think getting that player
20:42will, over the course of the season,
20:44increase your chances of getting
20:45the best out of Neal and Ekwer as well.
20:49What do you think about some
20:50of the other players
20:50that I mentioned before?
20:51Jay Matete, Elliot Embleton,
20:53both coming back obviously
20:55quite well.
20:56They've had a lot of bad luck
20:57with injuries, both of them, haven't they?
20:59I think Embleton's got a year
21:01left on his contract.
21:02Matete, I think he's got two years
21:03left on his contract.
21:05Is it just a case of,
21:05we'll see how they go in pre-season
21:07and then potentially
21:09loan them out again for six months?
21:10Or where do you kind of see those two
21:12and their situations?
21:15Yeah, exactly that, I think.
21:17I think the Matete one is,
21:20again, I think there's a,
21:22you know, another player who, for me,
21:25is not a holding midfielder.
21:26I think from what we've seen of him,
21:29he's best when he can get
21:30in the opposition's faces.
21:31He can press high up the pitch.
21:32He's a really good dribbler.
21:33He's really good at sort of twisting away
21:35from players and carrying the ball
21:3620, 30 yards, getting into the box,
21:38maybe winning you a free kick
21:39in a dangerous area.
21:41I don't see him as the answer
21:42to that holding midfield player.
21:44That, to me, means he's got
21:45fairly significant competition
21:47with Neal, Ekwer,
21:48maybe anybody else who comes in.
21:50And so I think he's got the talent,
21:52but we just don't know
21:54what level of fitness
21:54he's going to be at.
21:56And Milton, for me,
21:57a huge asset to any squad
21:59because he can play in five
22:00or six different positions
22:01and you know he can do a good job
22:02and he's also got a goal in him.
22:04You know, and especially
22:06from what we saw last season,
22:07any player who you feel
22:08has definitely got a goal
22:09and can get in the box
22:10and get decent areas
22:12is going to be hugely valuable.
22:13At the moment,
22:14because they've played
22:15so little football,
22:16it's hard to see them being
22:17sort of first-team, strong,
22:19starting XI contenders.
22:21And so at that point,
22:22you're sitting here now thinking,
22:24yeah, there's got to be
22:25a possibility of a loan,
22:26you know, with a view to seeing
22:27what the situation is in January
22:28or even a permanent exit.
22:29I don't think that could be ruled out
22:30in either scenario.
22:32However, there's loads of players
22:34and we're going to go on,
22:34especially in the attacking midfield
22:36and wide players last season
22:38who there is huge uncertainty
22:39over showing flashes of talent
22:41but haven't quite delivered on it yet.
22:44And so I absolutely think,
22:46you know, there's a possibility
22:47for either of those players
22:48if they're fully fit,
22:48that they can force their way
22:49in and pre-season.
22:52Albeit right now,
22:53you know, I think there's
22:54big question marks over
22:55where they're going to be at
22:56with their fitness
22:57after so long away from football.
22:58The other thing with Matete
23:00is obviously the rigged conundrum,
23:01isn't it?
23:01Because if I'm right in saying
23:03that I don't really see
23:04Matete as a holding midfielder,
23:06if someone had also seen it that way,
23:08if Chris Rigg is sustained,
23:09obviously we don't know
23:09whether that's going to be the case.
23:11For me, that's another player
23:12in front of Matete potentially
23:14in terms of I think
23:15they'll be operating
23:16in a similar position
23:17in the pitch.
23:17So I think there's huge uncertainty
23:19over both of those
23:21two players' futures.
23:23But I also think that
23:24especially in Edmonton's case,
23:25I think, I think that fully fit,
23:28I think there's a place for him in the squad.
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