Anthony Patterson to join Wrexham as Sunderland agree £8m transfer

Sunderland have agreed a deal worth an initial £8 million plus performance-related add-ons for goalkeeper Anthony Patterson to join Wrexham, with the academy graduate now set to undergo a medical before completing his permanent move.

The transfer represents a significant piece of business for the Black Cats, both on and off the pitch. As a homegrown player, Patterson's sale will provide Sunderland with a major financial boost under football's accounting regulations, strengthening the club's Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) position as sporting director Florent Ghisolfi continues to reshape Régis Le Bris' squad.

Patterson has been part of Sunderland's first-team setup for several years after progressing through the club's academy. The 26-year-old played an important role in the club's journey from League One back to the Premier League and established himself as one of the club's most reliable performers during that period.

However, his long-term future became uncertain after Robin Roefs emerged as Sunderland's first-choice goalkeeper last season. Patterson also spent time out on loan, and opportunities to reclaim the starting position at the Stadium of Light became increasingly limited.

That situation has now opened the door for Wrexham, who have moved quickly to secure the goalkeeper in what represents another ambitious signing by the Welsh club.

Beyond the transfer fee itself, the move is particularly valuable because Patterson is an academy product. Under football's financial regulations, the transfer fee received for a homegrown player is recognised as pure profit in the club's accounts, making the deal especially attractive from Sunderland's perspective.

The agreement is worth £8 million upfront, with additional payments linked to future performance-related clauses, providing further upside if those conditions are met.

The sale also gives Ghisolfi additional room to strengthen other areas of Le Bris' squad before the transfer window closes, with Sunderland expected to remain active in the market.

Patterson's departure will conclude a lengthy association with his boyhood club. Having come through Sunderland's academy, he featured prominently during two promotion-winning campaigns and became a familiar figure for supporters during one of the most successful periods in the club's recent history.

While first-team opportunities diminished following the emergence of Roefs, the move offers Patterson the chance to establish himself elsewhere, while Sunderland receive a transfer package that strengthens both their finances and squad-building plans.

Patterson is expected to complete his medical in the coming days before officially joining Wrexham. Sunderland will then turn their attention back to the transfer market, with the proceeds from the sale providing additional financial flexibility as Ghisolfi looks to add further reinforcements before the end of the summer window.