Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit reveals concern at £10m Sunderland AFC transfer | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie has spoken exclusively to Football League World about the teenager's move to the Premier League.

Lee Hendrie has weighed in on Brighton's move for Sunderland youngster Tommy Watson, with the 18-year-old set to join the Premier League outfit in the summer.

The two clubs agreed on a £10m fee for the teenager on April 1, with the Black Cats set to lose one of their attacking talents to the Seagulls once the transfer window opens.

2024/25 has been a breakout year for the winger, having made his debut in the Championship in April 2023, before making his second appearance last season. However, this year, Watson's importance has increased, and he has become a solid rotation option for Regis Le Bris.

An injury over the winter saw him miss the majority of the campaign, but he has returned to the side in recent weeks as Sunderland look to win promotion back to the top flight through the play-offs, following eight years away from the division.

However, there are questions about whether this move has come too early in his career, with just a handful of games to his name in senior football.

Hendrie concerned about Watson's move to Brighton

Brighton have shown an interest in Watson for a number of months, and it seems as though discussions have taken place behind the scenes throughout this time with the move pre-planned for the summer.

But with his inexperience, there will be fears that the winger will find it tough to find a place in the team under Fabian Hurzeler and he is leaving the Stadium of Light at an exciting point in the club's history.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Lee Hendrie has voiced his concerns over the move and believes that Sunderland should have held on to him for longer.

He told FLW: "I think the thing is with a lot of these younger players, they are getting opportunities and getting into the team. I've seen Tommy Watson, he's a very, very good young, talented player and, for me, I wouldn't want to get rid of him.

"I'd be hanging on to him thinking that he's got bags of potential. I think that this Sunderland squad has got a really young vibe to it and when you start stepping away from that there's big pressure that lands on your shoulders to go and produce and prove that you're still worth £10m."

Hendrie continued: "He's not particularly proven, he hasn't got loads of games under his belt. So, for me, unless there's a massive sell-on clause or there are clauses that might potentially bolster the finances of the deal, I'd be keeping hold of this young man to be quite honest.

"I think he's got bags of potential and he's only 18. He’s still got a good few years before he could potentially go for a lot more money than that."

The project at Brighton is an exciting one for Watson

Although Sunderland themselves have gone through a resurgence this season, Brighton are a club that have been on the up for a number of years and it is clear to see why Watson has decided to join.

Although they finished 11th in the Premier League in 2023/24, their lowest league placing since 2020/21, they are improving once again this campaign and find themselves challenging for a European spot once again.

This will be incredibly enticing to the teenager, and while he may not be able to break into the starting XI on his arrival, playing for a club that is starting to become a consistent top 10 side in the top flight is too much to turn down.

For Sunderland, they cannot trust that Watson will carry on this trajectory, and £10m for a relatively unproven 18-year-old simply cannot be rejected.