Sunderland AFC transfers: Weighing up Bailey Wight's potential January departure amid Aberdeen interest

When you drill down into the numbers, though, is it really that surprising? The Brisbane-born man has featured in just 13 of Sunderland’s games in the Championship this season, only starting six and coming on a further seven times as a substitute.

Sunderland are well-stocked for centre-back options too with Dan Ballard, Danny Batth, Aji Alese and Dennis Cirkin all able to play there. It also tells its own story that Luke O’Nien, excellent for large parts of the campaign, has been preferred over Wright in defence by head coach Tony Mowbray.

To put it bluntly, Wright is a fair way down the pecking order at the moment in terms of starting games and contributing regularly – even with the recent injuries to Batth, Alese and Cirkin.

That isn’t to say that Wright isn’t valued at Sunderland. He very clearly is and has been called upon several times in sticky situations off the bench so far this season. His professionalism, experience and leadership qualities are spoken highly of by everyone at the club.

In that sense, Wright’s potential departure would leave a hole in Sunderland’s squad, both in terms of numbers and his positive influence on what is an extremely young group of players at the Academy of Light. Every club needs generals… on and off the field.

Letting Wright leave and replacing him with someone of the profile of Charlie Cresswell (the young and promising starlet currently on loan at Millwall from Leeds United and has been linked with Sunderland) would have its pros and cons.

Wright’s departure would see Sunderland lose a player with Championship experience and serious leadership qualities. It is also worth noting that Sunderland are not yet safe from relegation just yet.

Whilst it seems unlikely that the Black Cats will be pulled into a dogfight, only 12 points separate Sunderland in 10th between Huddersfield in 22nd. The Championship can be a crazy division and who is to say that gap couldn’t be overhauled at some point? In that scenario, Wright’s calm nature and 393 games in club football could prove to be invaluable.

Yet in Cresswell – or a player of that ilk – Sunderland would gain a starlet with the potential to shine bright and potentially be sold at a profit at a later date (not unlike Ballard and Alese) whose ceiling in terms of ability would be higher than Wright’s.

We know Kristjaan Speakman and Stuart Harvey are keen to do business this way in the name of sustainability, which has worked well thus far. However, the potential departure of Wright could leave Sunderland lacking in some key areas and would leave only five players over the age of 27: Batth, O’Nien, Lynden Gooch Alex Pritchard and Corry Evans.

Wright, 30, is now entering his prime years, with footballers usually peaking between 27 and 33… although this is not an exact science, the Australian is now smack bang in the middle of that bracket.

And off the back of a career-high, playing for Australia at the World Cup in Qatar, you’d suspect Wright, given his age and calibre, probably feels he should be playing more regularly. Aberdeen could offer him that chance.