We flirted with a transfer in January and now it’s been confirmed.
Tommy Watson, the nimble and fleet-footed left winger who grabbed his chance when Romaine Mundle suffered an injury and subsequently turned in several displays that suggested another diamond had emerged from the Academy, will be off in the summer.
His destination? Brighton and Hove Albion.
Objectively one of the most efficiently-run clubs in the country and with a superb record of snapping up young prospects from around the globe before nurturing and helping them to develop into elite, top level players. Will he kick on down at the Amex? Here’s hoping he does.
Sunderland AFC v Stoke City FC - Sky Bet Championship Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
When news of the deal broke on Tuesday night, the response was, in many ways, entirely predictable…
‘Great business!’
‘£10 million plus add-ons for an unproven player is really smart’
‘Another Speakman blinder’
…and so on, but some of the reactions seemed too celebratory for my liking. After all, what exactly is Watson supposed to have done that would make sections of our fanbase so glad to see the back of him?
Been tempted by the lure of the Premier League and its riches and prestige? That’s hardly a cardinal sin. We often implore the club to ‘show ambition’ and it’s lauded when they do, but if a young prospect decides he fancies a crack at the big time? That’s apparently a different story, and I’ll never understand it.
The January transfer wrangle, with Watson apparently stuck in limbo as we prepared to face Middlesbrough, was somewhat irritating but let’s face it: he’s not been exiled by Régis Le Bris, which would suggest that he’s been applying himself well in training, and I for one desperately hope that he can play a role for us during the run in.
If fit, Mundle will be our starting left winger but having a player like Watson ready to come on, to run at tiring defences and possibly chip in with goals could be a real boost to our promotion hopes.
Despite what social media tittle tattle would have us believe, there’s not a shred of direct evidence to suggest that Watson’s acted unprofessionally or has been kicking up a fuss behind the scenes as the Seagulls have mounted a lengthy pursuit of him.
Whatever kind of advice he’s been given is his business and his alone, and only time will tell if he’s made the leap too early or whether he can begin to make an impression down on the south coast.
Coventry City FC v Sunderland AFC - Sky Bet Championship Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images
As supporters, it’s incredibly easy to feign indifference and to wheel out the old ‘If he doesn’t want to be here, to hell with him’ mantra, but let’s remember that we’re the same people who cheered Watson to the rafters when his two-goal salvo dragged us to victory against Stoke City, and when he caught the eye with a dazzling first half display against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
I realise I may be a lone voice but to my mind, the sale of any talented footballer, and particularly a youngster who’s emerged from the academy and graduated to the first team, should never be greeted with joy.
Of course, it’s important to highlight that if the fees quoted are accurate, it represents a very definitive and possibly exceptionally shrewd piece of business by the club, but like any sale, we need to feel the long term benefits where it matters — on the pitch — for it to be truly deemed a success.
Watson is raw (he’s roughly at the same stage on his development path as Mundle was when he arrived in January 2024), and aspects of his game certainly need to be refined, but you can also see that he’s got plenty going for him and I really hope he can make the most of the chance he’s been given by Albion.
As we begin to build towards the playoffs, everyone — players and supporters alike — need to be unified and focused on the ultimate goal, and I’m confident that Le Bris and his coaching team will be working very hard to ensure that this development doesn’t have a negative impact on morale.
Perhaps having some clarity regarding Watson’s future will help with that, and if we can summon up the resilience needed, there’s a good chance that his final chapter in red and white will conclude under the Wembley arch as we target a Premier League return.
If we could do it, Sunderland and Watson would go their separate ways with a sense of real achievement — a positive ending to what’s often been a frustrating saga.