Sunderland reject Brighton’s opening £8m bid for winger Tommy Watson | Switch window

Sunderland expect extra affords for Tommy Watson earlier than Monday’s switch deadline after rejecting a bid from Brighton for the teenage winger.

Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are each understood to have additionally proven an curiosity in Watson, who’s a product of Sunderland’s academy and has scored twice in 10 appearances within the Championship to date this season.

Brighton noticed a gap provide for the 18-year-old, believed to be round £8m, rejected over the weekend. Fabian Hürzeler’s aspect are anticipated to return with an improved bid earlier than Monday’s deadline to check Sunderland’s resolve to maintain him.

Villa and Palace are additionally believed to be consideringbids for Watson within the last 48 hours of the switch window, though Sunderland have made it clear that they may solely contemplate promoting him if they’ll herald reinforcements.

“If Tommy did depart, we’ve to exchange him,” stated the Sunderland head coach, Régis Le Bris. “We’d like two wingers on every flank, this can be a higher steadiness. Enzo [Le Fée] can play right here, however solely as a result of we don’t have others obtainable in the intervening time.”

Brighton and Palace are each dealing with a busy finish to the switch window. The Republic of Eire striker Evan Ferguson is needed by plenty of Premier League golf equipment, with Arsenal, Everton, Bournemouth, Tottenham and West Ham having all registered an curiosity, together with Bayer Leverkusen. Tariq Lamptey is also allowed to go away the Amex, with Ajax enthusiastic about a everlasting deal for the Ghana defender.

Palace have held talks over a possible mortgage transfer for Ben Chilwell however would wish to return to an settlement with Chelsea over how a lot of his wage they’d pay. The England defender has been frozen out of Enzo Maresca’s plans and has made just one look this season.

Oliver Glasner’s aspect are additionally available in the market for a central defender earlier than the deadline and have been linked to Union Berlin’s Danilho Doekhi, Tiago Djaló of Juventus and Milan’s Strahinja Pavlovic.