Sunderland issue statement as Alex Pritchard requests January transfer and drops out of Stoke City squad

Alex Pritchard has been left out of Sunderland's squad to face Stoke City after declaring himself unavailable for selection on Friday.

Pritchard has asked to leave the club this month and pursue other opportunities. Sunderland offered Pritchard a one-year extension to his current contract earlier this month, as he enters the final six months of that deal. The 30-year-old wants a longer deal for security and believes he has better offers on the table elsewhere, and wants to take those up immediately.

Pritchard has interest from Turkey and elsewhere in the Championship, but Sunderland sources say no official bid has been received at this stage. The attacking midfielder has made clear that he will not be accepting the club's extension and told the club on Friday that he did not want to be involved in this afternoon's game.

Sunderland want to keep Pritchard this month but are believed to be open to letting him should an adequate offer arrive before the end of the window. At this stage, that has not happened. Abdoullah Ba has replaced Pritchard in the starting XI, with Mason Burstow also replacing Nazariy Rusyn, who drops to the bench.

Sunderland's club statement reads: "Sunderland AFC today issued the following statement.

"On Friday morning, Alex Pritchard informed the Club that he was no longer available for selection and he subsequently withdrew from today’s matchday squad. The midfielder also expressed his desire to leave SAFC with immediate effect.

"The Club will be making no further comment at this moment in time."