SUNDERLAND have rejected Brighton’s latest offer for Tommy Watson, with the winger now looking extremely likely to remain on Wearside beyond the end of the transfer window.
A day of intense discussions over Watson’s future ended with Brighton tabling an improved offer for the teenager earlier this afternoon.
While it has been suggested that the bid was worth £13m, it is understood that a series of clauses would have had to be met for Sunderland to have banked that amount.
The offer was rejected, and while there is still a chance Brighton could return with an improved package, the likelihood of the Black Cats sanctioning Watson’s departure is extremely slim so close to the 11pm deadline.
Sunderland had raised the possibility of Simon Adingra being included as part of a deal for Watson, but it quickly became apparent that that was not a viable option. Brighton are understood to have been reluctant to lose Adingra as they regarded Watson as a player to be developed within their first-team group rather than an immediate option for the starting XI.
At that stage, Sunderland began to explore alternative options to potentially replace Watson within their squad, and there was contact with Leicester City over Kasey McAteer.
Again, though, it quickly became obvious that a deadline-day deal was extremely unlikely, leading the Black Cats to firm up their stance on Watson.
The Sunderland hierarchy were always adamant that the 18-year-old would not be allowed to leave without a replacement in place, and that is still the case.
As a result, unless Brighton were to return with a vastly-improved offer, Watson will be remaining as part of Regis Le Bris’ squad beyond tonight’s transfer deadline.
Sunderland’s signing of Liverpool forward Jayden Danns remains on track, with the teenager having agreed the terms of a season-long loan deal.
Danns is currently at the Academy of Light, where he completed a medical earlier this afternoon, and his transfer should be confirmed in the next few hours ahead of Sunderland’s Championship game at Middlesbrough.
The Black Cats beat off competition from both Hull City and Blackburn Rovers to sign Danns, who played for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final last season.
