If reports are to be believed, West Ham United are planning to rope in Sunderland keeper Jordan Pickford. The England U-21 international has been one of the most shining lights of what has been a disastrous campaign for the Black Cats who have dropped to the Championship. Pickford’s excellence in the Sunderland goal has made him a top target in the upcoming summer and Sunderland are ready to cash in on him.
Slaven Bilic has had his difficulties when it comes to selecting his first-choice keeper and that’s why picking a good keeper is top on his shopping list. Pickford’s growth hasn’t gone unseen and Bilic thinks he would be an ideal signing for the London club. A number of players are expected to leave the Stadium of Light after their demotion to the second tier and Pickford could be the first of many. Everton are also reportedly holding their thoughts before launching a scathing bid for the keeper. Ronald Koeman is very unimpressed with the performance of both of his keepers and wants to land a trusted name to guard his goal. Sunderland want to trade in for this opportunity and would demand a fee in the region of £20m for the young keeper.
The Black Cats are not in a stable position financially and they need to raise money to get rid of their current situation. Given the current situation, if Pickford continues to grow with his current form, this fee could be a bargain. His role earned him his first England call-up and he could be the preferred choice for the Three lions in the 2018 World Cup. Pickford has been the saviour for Sunderland this season a number of times. He and Jermain Defoe have given the Black Cats a few positives but due to other difficulties and the inabilities of their fellow players, they couldn’t save the team from relegation
Sunderland will travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on the final day of the season and it could be Pickford’s final appearance in Red and White stripes. A boyhood fan of Sunderland, it would be very hard for him to leave this club but he needs to secure a move to a club where he can utilise the opportunities he gets. West Ham are also mulling an option to bring in Jermain Defoe and if they somehow succeed in bringing the players it would surely give the team an edge in the upcoming season.
