Patterson's Long Sunderland Road Leads to a Crossroads as Wrexham Circle
Anthony Patterson has been on Sunderland's books since boyhood, worn the shirt 169 times, and helped fire the club from League One to the Premier League. Now Sunderland are willing to sell him, and Wrexham are among the clubs circling.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper is an England Under-21 international who came through Sunderland's academy — the club's own youth development system. His senior debut came in a 2-1 EFL Trophy loss to Fleetwood Town in 2020-21, a modest enough starting point for a career that would soon gather real momentum. A loan at Notts County in the opening half of the following season sharpened him, and he returned to help Sunderland win promotion from League One via the play-offs — the end-of-season knockout that decides the final promotion spot.
By 2024-25, Patterson was the undisputed number one. He made 45 Championship appearances as Sunderland beat Sheffield United in the play-off final at Wembley, sending the club back to the Premier League. For a goalkeeper who had climbed every rung with his boyhood club, it was the summit.
Then the view changed. In the first half of the 2025-26 top-flight season, Patterson featured just once, having fallen behind Robin Roefs in the pecking order. He spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Millwall, making 16 appearances across all competitions. He was back on the Sunderland bench as a substitute for Regis Le Bris' side in a 1-0 pre-season friendly win over Wrexham at Philadelphia's Subaru Park on 2 August — a fixture that brought the interested club and the available player into the same stadium.
The asking price has shifted depending on who you read. Sky Sports reported in June that Sunderland were ready to sell for £8m, with Wrexham weighing up a move (Yahoo Sports/Sky Sports). BBC Sport later placed the figure at £8m-10m and noted that Wrexham would need the Black Cats to come down to make a deal viable. By mid-July, BBC Sport reported Sunderland's valuation had settled around £7m, with Millwall facing competition from both Wrexham and Rangers. GiveMeSport reported that Wrexham are willing to bid £7m but would prefer a loan-to-buy arrangement — a deal where the player joins on loan first, with an obligation to purchase later.
The interest is not limited to Wrexham. BBC Sport reported that Rangers, Millwall, Wolves and Wrexham are all monitoring Patterson's situation, so any suitor will likely need to move quickly and decisively.
Sunderland's official retained list for the 2026-27 season still includes Patterson, which means he remains under contract. That gives the club leverage but also a player who, at 26, needs regular football rather than a spot on someone else's bench.
For Wrexham, the appeal is obvious. Manager Phil Parkinson said ahead of his side's 1-0 Carabao Cup first-round loss to Middlesbrough that there was still work to be done on the squad, and the club have already added full-back Danny Imray and midfielder Ben Whiteman this summer. A goalkeeper with 169 Sunderland appearances, a Wembley promotion on his CV, and genuine top-flight experience — however brief — would address a clear need. Whether Parkinson can land him for a price Wrexham are willing to pay is the question the next few weeks will answer.
