It was the ‘Club Communication’ that nobody would’ve wanted to have heard.

Not a statement announcing that Steve Cooper will be appointed as Sunderland’s new head coach ahead of the 2024/2025 season or that Chris Rigg has signed his first professional contract at the Stadium of Light.

Instead, it was confirmation of an injury that had been rumoured for days, had caused nerves to jangle in the buildup to the game against Millwall, and it concerned one of Sunderland’s most influential players.

After a campaign during which the homegrown midfielder has enhanced his reputation no end and made a strong case as Sunderland’s ‘player of the season’, Dan Neil won’t be seen in a red and white shirt until the Lads head to Alicante in the summer at the very earliest.

Furthermore, if the worst-case scenario comes to pass, our recent trip to the Hawthorns might well have been the last time we saw him playing for us in a competitive game.

And so, as we set about the task of trying to handle a robust and abrasive Millwall side with a makeshift engine room of Jobe and Pierre Ekwah unable to gain any real control against the aggression of the visitors, it brought into sharp focus how things could look by the start of next season.

Simply put, if Neil were to leave Sunderland this summer, it would be a shattering blow, and even for those who retain faith in the club’s recruitment, we’re kidding ourselves if we honestly believe he’s easily replaced.

If Jack Clarke’s departure is nailed on (even in spite of some curiously underwhelming recent displays), a Stadium of Light exit for Neil could be just as likely to happen, with rumours of Premier League interest not abating and his displays this season reaching a consistently high standard.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Clarke might’ve grabbed the headlines during 2023/2024 by carrying our goalscoring prospects on his slender shoulders, but Neil is the heartbeat of our side; the man who keeps things ticking over in midfield with composure and class, and never shirking his defensive duties either.

It’s true that Neil’s shooting isn’t his strong point and that he also has the scope to add more assists to his repertoire, but why can’t that come with time? You don’t expect players of his age to be the finished article, and the fact that he’s been so influential when he’s nowhere near close to his peak tells a story in its own right.

Get him into a Premier League squad with high-class coaches and teammates, and his game will only go in one direction, and just as Adam Wharton has made the step up from Blackburn to become an ever-present in Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace side, I really believe that Neil could follow a similar path.

The reality is that he’s one of the most valuable assets in our squad and three years after first breaking through during our 2021/2022 League One campaign before making a huge impression during two subsequent Championship seasons, you could hardly blame him for weighing up his options and considering whether a move away would be the best thing for his continued development.

Loyalty to a club (which in Neil’s case is real, deep-seated and lifelong) versus ambition and a desire to test yourself at higher level is always a difficult tradeoff, and after a turbulent season during which aspirations of promotion have faded into a campaign of mid-table mediocrity, it must be being tested to the maximum in this case.

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On the other hand, as unpalatable as Neil’s potential exit might be, it’s a testament to the footballing education he’s received on Wearside as well as his own commitment to improvement.

Sunderland’s academy has improved substantially in recent years, with the likes of Chris Rigg and Tommy Watson the latest exciting young prospects to emerge from Cleadon, but all-round midfielders of Neil’s calibre break through less than once a decade, with Jordan Henderson being the last local lad who was comparable to Neil in terms of skill, footballing intelligence, and sheer work rate.

Simply put, we need to make the absolute most of players of Neil’s talent, and as I’ve said for a long time, we’ll only truly appreciate what he has to offer when he’s no longer here.

With any luck, we’ll be able to fend off any interest during the summer and enjoy the sight of Neil in Sunderland’s midfield for one more season at least.

If he does leave, it’ll doubtless be for a substantial fee and it’ll probably make financial sense, but it’ll also rob us of a rare talent and a player who would be a superb signing for any top flight club who shows an interest.

I really hope it doesn’t happen yet.

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