Tommy Watson expected to go on loan again with Championship move likely | OneFootball

Tommy Watson is expected to head out on loan again this summer as he seeks regular senior minutes.

According to Sunderland Echo, a Championship move is viewed as the likeliest option. Brighton rate the 20-year-old, who arrived for around £10million last year on a long-term contract.

His first season away from Wearside was stop-start. He made 10 Brighton appearances before January and scored on debut off the bench in a 6-0 EFL Cup win over Oxford United. Premier League minutes were scarce, so he joined Millwall in February, reuniting with Alex Neil, and played 12 times.

Given he is only 20, the next move is seen as pivotal. His camp want him playing, so any loan will prioritise rhythm, confidence and consistency across a full campaign. Competition at Brighton is fierce and could intensify by the end of the window.

Kaoru Mitoma has 12 months left on his deal, Ibrahim Osman showed promise, and Diego Gomez is another left-sided option. Brighton may also strengthen again this summer. The clearest route to regular minutes appears away from the Amex.

Born in Horden, he came through Sunderland’s academy and debuted against Huddersfield Town in April 2023. He broke through in 2024-25, scoring his first league goals in a 2-1 win over Stoke City. Brighton agreed a deal in April 2025 and confirmed his switch ahead of a June arrival, and he then came off the bench in the 2-1 play-off final against Sheffield United to hit the stoppage-time winner and seal promotion.

He made his England under-21 debut in September 2025 and was called up by the under-20s during his Millwall spell.

Source: Sunderland Echo