“Someone you want around the club” – Pundit claims Sunderland may be making big contract mistake

This summer, Sunderland will lose one of their most seasoned players when key midfielder Corry Evans appears likely to leave the Stadium of Light after his contract expires.

The Black Cats’ management informed the Northern Ireland international that he would not be getting a new contract, according to a report published by Football Insider earlier this week.

Evans became a League One player for Sunderland in 2021, and in his first season there, he led the team to promotion to the Championship while donning the captain’s armband during their victory in the play-off final at Wembley.

But in a game against Middlesbrough in January 2023, he sustained a nasty ACL injury that sidelined him until very recently. He returned towards the end of the season, making three appearances (all from the bench) as Mike Dodds’ team finished the season poorly.

The club appears to have decided to let him go this summer, and the former Blackburn player will be looking for a new club given his age of 33 and his recent history of injuries.

Carlton Palmer thinks Sunderland ought to extend an offer to Corry Evans for a new contract.

Carlton Palmer, a pundit and former England international, thinks Sunderland might be committing a mistake by allowing the Northern Irishman to leave on a free, especially since Sunderland sorely needs experience.

Palmer stated, “It has come to light that Sunderland are speaking to players who are out of contract this summer,” in an interview with Football League World. They only have a small number of players without contracts, but one of them is captain and seasoned midfielder Corry Evans.

He’s been informed that he won’t be receiving a new contract. This is not surprising; this is how Sunderland operates. Corry did sustain a serious ACL injury and missed a lot of time, but you need to strike a balance between your inexperienced players and their experience.

“I don’t think you can with all the young players. Any manager who is worth their salt will tell the hierarchy that you have to find the right balance in order to perform well.”

It is commonly known that Sunderland has a young team, which may have worked against them as they had a dismal second half to the 2023–24 season and finished in 16th place.

Palmer thinks Corry Evans could be different the following season if he’s fully fit. He declared: “Giving Corry another year is something I would have done because he’s a talker, a leader, and someone you want in the club.”

“He was a very influential player and a key figure when the club was promoted from League One.” However, this young team will lose a vital figurehead and have a deficiency in depth in midfield, which will need to be fixed in the summer.

“We’ll have to wait and see if Sunderland’s player recruitment strategy is the right one or not.”

This summer, Corry Evans won’t have any trouble joining a new team.

You would have thought that clubs in England and possibly abroad would be considering Corry Evans as a suitable addition this summer given his wealth of experience at both club and international level.

Aspiring League One teams will take note of Evans’s contribution to Sunderland’s promotion to the Championship during his rookie campaign and believe that his background and leadership qualities will enable them to accomplish the same.

The Northern Irish international will play in his nation’s next friendlies against Spain and Andorra, which will help put him in the running to sign with a new club this summer.
Evans, who is 33 years old, still has a lot of life left in him. In fact, missing nearly eighteen months due to injury may have been a blessing in disguise because it allowed him to continue playing and prepare for the 2024–2025 season.

This summer, Evans might not be able to command transfer interest from Championship clubs, but he will undoubtedly draw interest from other quarters.

The Northern Irishman will be hoping to prove a point next season, but only time will tell if Sunderland made the right decision in letting him go.