Sunderland youngster heading for exit door as free transfer interest and contract question emerges – reports

Sunderland goalkeeper Adam Richardson could be set to leave the club this summer, with National League side FC Halifax Town reportedly interested in signing him on a free transfer.

According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Shaymen are keen to bring Richardson to the club once his contract with the Black Cats expires at the end of the season. The 21-year-old has been training with Halifax in recent weeks as his Sunderland deal runs down, with the National League outfit exploring the possibility of adding him to their squad ahead of next season.

Richardson joined Sunderland as a youngster and has spent the majority of his career developing through the club’s academy system. He arrived at the club aged eight and was once viewed as one of the more promising goalkeeping prospects on Wearside. During his time at the Stadium of Light, he regularly trained with the first team and was included in several senior pre-season matchday squads. He was also named on the bench for a Papa John’s Trophy tie at Fleetwood Town in 2020 when he was just 17 years old.

Standing at 6ft 6in tall, Richardson also earned recognition at international level during his youth career, receiving call-ups up to England Under-18 level. However, his progress has been hampered by injuries in recent years, and competition within Sunderland’s academy goalkeeping ranks has intensified. Goalkeepers including Joe Cowan, Isaac Allan, Dan Cameron and Ben Metcalf have all emerged within the club’s youth setup, leaving Richardson further down the pecking order.

He has still gained valuable senior experience through loan spells. During the 2024-25 campaign, Richardson spent time at both Hebburn Town and Blyth Spartans, while he also had a stint with Hartlepool United on trial last summer. Richardson has featured for Sunderland’s Under-21 side during the current campaign, but with his contract nearing its end, a move away from the club now appears increasingly likely. Halifax are said to be monitoring the situation closely and could look to secure the goalkeeper’s signature on a free transfer once his Sunderland deal officially expires.

Enzo Le Fèe could make the derby on Sunday

Le Bris confirmed that both Angulo and Le Fée had suffered setbacks in training ahead of the game. The news forced another reshuffle of the Black Cats’ attacking options and added fresh uncertainty heading into next weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby.

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Before the game, Le Bris provided an update on Angulo and Le Fee ahead of the game against Newcastle: “Yeah, they picked up injuries during the training session, which is a shame, but it is what it is. We are more or less in this cycle when it's hard to manage the load, but we still have a strong starting XI, players on the bench to help the squad. It's a bit early, probably for Nilson; it might last four weeks, six weeks, and for Enzo, it might be less. I hope for the derby against Newcastle.”

Le Bris also revealed that Wilson Isidor is managing an injury issue, which is why he wasn’t risked in the closing stages even as Sunderland laboured to get back into the game following Yankuba Minteh’s goal midway through the second half.

“It wasn't possible [to bring Wilson on] because he got an injury,” Le Bris said. “We were really on the edge. We were cautious. We could have pushed him, but it was risky. Rather than taking risks, it was the case for Brian as well. Brian can go all the way, but because we pushed until the end rather than keeping 65-70 minutes because it was the load expected, we can lose another player.

“At the minute, we are struggling a bit. We are just on the edge, but we try our best to keep the team safe. Dan had discomfort with his hamstring, so we hope it isn't too serious. We expect Enzo to be ready for Newcastle; it might be possible. For Nilson, we'll have to wait at least four to six weeks. Reinildo will train with us tomorrow, so that's good news.”

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