Marco Gabbiadini claims failed Sunderland deadline day transfer deal could be 'real positive'

Former Sunderland forward Marco Gabbiadini has claimed that staying on Wearside could be a “real positive” for Tommy Watson after the teenager’s proposed deadline day transfer to Brighton and Hove Albion fell through.

The Premier League outfit pushed to sign the promising winger in the latter stages of the January window, but the Black Cats’ inability to secure a suitable replacement for their academy graduate proved to be a deciding factor in their refusal to let him leave the Stadium of Light.

Whether Brighton rekindle their interest in Watson further down the line remains to be seen, but it is worth noting that come the end of the season, he will have just one year left on his current deal in the North East. In the more immediate future, the attacker is expected to return from injury this month, having been sidelined since December with ankle and knee complaints.

And with a Championship promotion push now ahead of him, Gabbiadini has suggested that staying at Sunderland for the time being could still prove to be a good move for the 18-year-old. Speaking on Total Sport, the pundit said: “It’s a fine balancing act with these kinds of deals.

“The player is trying to get some security in his career, and a deal at a big club that would probably change his life completely. But at the same time, where’s he going to play more minutes? I think it’ll definitely be at Sunderland, and that will be a real positive for him as well.”

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Addressing the prospect of Watson leaving during a press conference in late January, Black Cats head coach Regis Le Bris said: "If Tommy did leave, we have to replace him. We need two wingers on each flank, this is a better balance. Enzo [Le Fée] can play here but only because we don't have others available at the moment.

"I think Tommy started a few games before his injury so he was a new player in our team, and he did well. But it's always the case that when a new player starts, it's a new challenge. When you have to play 10, 15 games it is a different dynamic and a different challenge. He has started very, very well but to be a starter for a long period - this is different.

“We weren't able to assess this fully because of the injury. But there is no doubt that he has very good potential and is a very good player. And he fits very well our style of play, we feed our wingers and support them in taking risks in 1-v-1 situations. If they fail, we say, 'try again'. His profile is very good for this, but he has only played a few games.”

Alongside Watson, fellow winger Romaine Mundle is expected to return from injury in the coming weeks, while summer signing Ian Poveda has recently made a comeback of his own.

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