Nick Barnes believes it could be time for one of Sunderland’s biggest assets to ‘move onto a better team’.
Sunderland have racked up some excellent talent since Kyril Louis-Dreyfus joined the club.
Even before they won promotion, the Black Cats had managed to lure the likes of Jack Clarke, Patrick Roberts and Dennis Cirkin to League One.
Things then got even better back in the Championship, signing Clarke permanently and adding stars such as Dan Ballard and Aji Alese to their ranks.
While this season has been particularly underwhelming, the brilliant breakthroughs of some of their youngsters have seen their valuation increase and interest rapidly grow.
Jack Clarke looks very likely to move to the Premier League this summer, while Sunderland face a tough challenge to keep hold of a number of other key players.
One man that fans will be desperate to keep hold of isDan Neil, who has spent the last 14 years with his boyhood club.
The ‘wonderful‘ midfielder has really taken it up a notch this term and has attracted interest from Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham.
Dan Neil urged to leave Sunderland this summer
While supporters will be hopeful that his ties to his hometown club will keep him at the Stadium of Light for another year, Nick Barnes has admitted that it could be time for him to go to a better club.
Speaking on BBC Total Sport, Barnes said: “”There is an argument that it’s time for him to move onto a better team, because there’s development much in the same way as when Jordan Henderson left, his development might be better off now playing with better players to take him up to that next level.
“Not that I want to see him go, but if I took a step back and looked at it from the outside, that’s where I’d look at Dan Neil.”
Neil would have the pick of the bunch if he stayed another year
Dan Neil could definitely play in the Premier League right now and wouldn’t look out of place.
However, if he wants to establish himself as a regular in the top flight and have the pick of the bunch, then it would be sensible for him to stay at Sunderland for one more year.
If everything goes to plan, the Black Cats will be fighting for promotion again next season, and Neil could be at the heart of that.
If he is seen to be guiding his boyhood club to the play-offs, then he is undoubtedly going to be attracting even more interest.
If he leaves now and joins a Liverpool or Arsenal, he will only be loaned out or be fighting for a place in the match-day squad.
Perhaps I am being biased as a Sunderland fan, but it feels like he would be missing out on a real standout year if he leaves now.