Sunderland AFC transfer rumours: THREE players tipped to potentially leave if promotion is won as rivals in League One lose manager

Evans has left the League One strugglers by mutual consent following a 4-0 defeat to Ipswich Town on Saturday.

That result leaves the Gills seven points adrift of safety and sitting third from bottom in League One.

Evans’ assistant Paul Raynor has also left the club after describing the start to the season as the worst they had seen in charge.

The pair had been in charge for two-and-a-half seasons but have now departed.

A short statement from the club said: "Gillingham Football Club can confirm that the contract of manager Steve Evans has been terminated by mutual consent with immediate effect.

"The club wishes to thank Steve for all his efforts over the past two years in circumstances that have been significantly more difficult and challenging due to the Covid pandemic, and wishes him well in the future.

"The search for a new head coach/manager will begin immediately.

"There will be no further comment from the club on this matter."

Kevin Phillips makes interesting contract prediction

Kevin Phillips has predicted that three players could leave the club – if Sunderland win promotion to the Championship this season.

Tom Flanagan, Bailey Wright and Lynden Gooch are out of contract at the end of the campaign.

And Phillips explained that should Sunderland get out of League One, the trio’s future at the club could become uncertain.

When asked by Football Insider for his assessment of the trio’s future, Phillips said: “Why aren’t negotiations already happening?

“I think it’s because new deals will be heavily reliant on whether they get promotion.

“There is only four months left of the season so reading between the lines, I think the club will want to wait until the summer before seeing what happens. At that point I think they’ll sit down and table offers.

“Players like Wright, Flanagan and Gooch have done well this season. They’ve been involved week in, week out but there is a big difference between the Championship and League One.

“The club will need to re-assess at the end of the season whether to move those players on or whether to give them another year.”

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