"Got to feel bad for him" - Sunderland AFC braced for difficult Niall Huggins decision | OneFootball

The defender is approaching the end of his contract at The Stadium of Light

Sunderland face a difficult decision over the future of Niall Huggins come the end of this season when it comes to the Welshman's contract situation.

That's according to Football League World's fan pundit for the Black Cats, Jack Austwicke, who believes the division the club are in next season could be decisive in what they decide to do with the versatile full-back.

Huggins made the move to the Stadium of Light back in the summer of 2021, when he joined from Leeds United on a reported free transfer, that included a sell-on fee attached to the deal.

Having signed a four-year contract with Sunderland, the defender is now in the final year of his deal, leaving the club with a decision to make on his future.

However, Austwicke believes that it will not be easy to decide whether the 23-year-old stays with the Black Cats beyond this summer, especially since they are involved in a promotion battle.

Sunderland sent message over Niall Huggins future

After making the move to the Stadium of Light, a string of serious injury issues limited him to just a handful of appearances in his first two seasons with the club.

The defender then looked to be finding some form last season, before a knee problem brought a premature end to his campaign in December, and he has not been able to play since then, with a return in early 2025 pencilled in.

All of that means the 23-year-old has made just 28 appearances in all competitions in what is now almost three-and-a-half years with Sunderland.

That will of course, add to the uncertainty around his future, with just a few months left on his current contract.

As a result, FLW's Black Cats fan pundit Austwicke is unsure about whether the club should be keeping the defender beyond his contract, especially as he is unconvinced about what he would be able to do in the Premier League.

When asked if the Black Cats should look to give Huggins a new deal or let him go for free when his contract expires in the summer, the Austwicke said: "Niall Huggins is a strange one - a good player on his day, but he's absolutely plagued with injuries.

"You've got to feel bad but whether he is going to be a player we keep hold of depends whether we're promoted to the Premier League.

"I think he's going to be useful in the Championship, so he'd be worth keeping hold of at that point, but if not, I wouldn't be sad to see him go.

"He's been a good servant, a good player for us when he's been fit, but that's few and far between."

A strong start to the season under new manager Regis Le Bris has put the Black Cats top of the Championship table, with 19 points from nine league games.

Sunderland return to action after the October international break on Sunday afternoon, when they travel to the MKM Stadium to face Hull City.

Niall Huggins is under pressure at Sunderland to earn an extended contract

Having been out of action for so long, the situation around Huggins' contract has come at a rather bad time for him personally.

Missing so much of his Sunderland career so far due to injury, is going to be frustrating enough as it is for Huggins.

However, the Black Cats cannot gamble on his fitness for much longer, if they are to be competing at this level.

They will instead need individuals they know they can turn to on a regular basis to produce consistent reliable performances that can help them to positive results.

Huggins' recent injury history means that right now, they cannot rely on him to do that, meaning it would seemingly make little sense for them to keep him beyond his contract as things stand.

With that in mind, it does feel as though the defender may be facing an uncertain future if he is unable to get himself fit and playing regularly for Sunderland again in the next few months.