West Ham make approach to sign Sunderland midfielder, Lee Cattermole would be ‘gutted’ if he leaves
West Ham are among numerous clubs that have enquired about the possibility of signing Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil this month.
The 24-year-old was a key part of Sunderland‘s promotion-winning side last season as he captained them to the Premier League with 48 appearances made across all competitions.
Neil rejected Premier League and La Liga clubs to stay on Wearside in the summer, as he wanted to fight for his starting place, but he has only made four appearances across league and cup games so far this term.
The midfield that Regis Le Bris has built has been an integral part of Sunderland’s success, with summer signing and captain Granit Xhaka proving hugely influential on upcoming stars like Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki.
Neil has been left searching for more game time before his Black Cats contract expires in June, with the Hammers now among several teams that are looking to sign him in the January window.
West Ham have enquired about Neil alongside Rangers, Coventry and more
Neil was linked to Leicester and West Brom last month, but looks likely to stay in a top-flight league if he does leave Sunderland in the weeks to come.
Football Insider recently revealed that Rangers want to seal a cut-price deal for Neil this month, with the Black Cats open to letting him leave if the right offer comes along.
Journalist Ben Jacobs has now revealed, via X, that West Ham have enquired about the 24-year-old as they look to bolster Nuno Espirito Santo’s midfield options amid their battle to stay in the Premier League.
Championship leaders Coventry City, as well as Rangers and Sheffield United, have also approached Sunderland, while German club Cologne are believed to be interested in his services too.
Lee Cattermole does not want Sunderland to sell Neil
Neil was a boyhood Sunderland fan, and he joined their academy in 2010 before going on to work his way through their youth ranks and make his senior debut in 2018.
He has made over 200 appearances for the club and led them to a long-awaited promotion last term, but his change in fortune has been clear to see this season as they aim to consolidate in the Premier League once more.
Former Black Cats captain Cattermole recently spoke to BBC Sounds about Neil’s struggles and the potential for him to depart in January.
He said: “If he (Neil) does leave, I will be gutted that he hasn’t had the chance to show himself, because people write people off before they have even had a chance to kick the ball.
“I think he would have been expecting to have a start, especially with Afcon and us losing players. The speculation is definitely there. I believe he wants to be and should be playing football at his age.”
Neil certainly looks likely to leave the Stadium of Light before the 2 February deadline, and he could even face Sunderland as a West Ham player on 24 January if a deal accelerates in the next week.