"Offer him a new contract" - Sunderland AFC urged to avoid "the worst possible outcome" | OneFootball

FLW's resident Mackem gives his take on whether Trai Hume should be sold this summer.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sunderland's strong season under Regis Le Bris has brought a number of players to the fore and the summer could see some of them move on.

Unfortunately, given the transfer strategy the Black Cats have adopted, there is almost an obligation to sell their young talent when the time is right - and that moment could arrive this summer for Trai Hume.

The Northern Ireland international has been a key figure since joining from Linfield, but this season has arguably been his finest in a red and white shirt.

Across 33 matches, the 22-year-old has made an impact at both ends of the pitch and looks destined for a top-flight career elsewhere if Sunderland fail to achieve their ambitions of Premier League football.

Last summer, we saw him attract interest from abroad with the Mackems knocking back a £7 million bid from Turkish giants, Galatasaray, in mid-July.

The Sunderland Echo also reported that clubs from both England and Europe continued to monitor Hume throughout the 2024/25 season, leading up to the recently concluded January transfer window. In that month, Fulham were reportedly preparing a late bid for the defender, prompting the Black Cats to set a £20 million valuation in an effort to deter the Cottagers.

This clearly worked, but just how much longer will they be able to retain the youngster?

Trai Hume urged to stay at the Stadium of Light

The interest in Hume could be recouped in the summer and Football League World spoke to their resident Mackem, Jordan Newcombe, to get his take on whether Sunderland should be open to offers for the defender.

"Trai Hume is a player we need to keep," Newcombe stated firmly.

"He is a brilliant right-back - the best in the Championship. He’s unbelievable, versatile, and knows exactly what to do. He times his tackles perfectly, never dives in recklessly, and has the composure to wait for the ball to come to him. He can score goals, he can assist.

"My main aim for him is that we offer him a new contract and tie him down.

"If we’re not careful, he could leave at the end of the season if we aren’t promoted. Losing a player of his calibre would be the worst possible outcome for Sunderland right now.

"We need to do everything we can to keep him here and fend off offers from other clubs. Who knows, we might be able to keep him for much longer than we expect.

"He is one of the best right-backs we’ve had, and if we lose him, even if we go up, it would be a huge blow.

"If we make it to the play-offs and reach Wembley, we’ll need players like him - those who put their foot in and make their presence known early on. So, 100%, we have to keep Trai Hume at the end of the season and in the future."

Trai Hume has a pivotal role to play for the rest of 2024-25

While they may be out of the automatic promotion picture, Sunderland's positioning in the table will mean that they can begin preparing for some huge games in the play-offs.

With 12 games remaining, they have a 12-point cushion over seventh place, and four or five more wins should be enough to guarantee a top-six finish. Once that is secured, they will step into the unpredictable world of the play-offs, and Regis Le Bris must ensure his side are prepared both physically and mentally.

Hume will undoubtedly play a huge part in these games and they will need the 22-year-old at his very best to ensure they have the chance at promotion they deserve.

His focus must remain firmly on the task at hand, with any talk of a move best left until the season is over. Naturally, if Sunderland achieve promotion, their chances of retaining Hume will be far greater - something Newcombe and his fellow Mackems will be hoping for.