League One outfit’s transfer stance on Sunderland man is clarified | OneFootball

Sunderland winger Jack Diamond will not be completing a move to Portsmouth this summer.

Pompey head coach Danny Cowley has confirmed that the League One outfit are not aiming to strike an agreement with the Black Cats over the 22-year-old.

Diamond has recently attracted interest from Harrogate Town who are understood to be keen on re-signing him.

As per a Patreon report from Alan Nixon, Harrogate are working hard to make a breakthrough in their pursuit of Diamond.

However, the League Two side will have to significantly increase their bid for Diamond as their current offer is well below Sunderland’s valuation.

The Black Cats opted to sanction a loan move for Diamond to Harrogate last season and the winger went on to produce some positive performances at this level.

In the 39 appearances that he made in the fourth-tier, Diamond scored 13 goals and provided six assists.

Portsmouth are currently on the lookout for a new winger following Marcus Harness’ departure last month.

Harness joined Ipswich Town in a deal which saw striker Joe Pigott head in the opposite direction on loan.

Making reference to Diamond, Cowley has admitted that Pompey are not pursuing a deal for the Sunderland man.

“He ruined our FA Cup involvement last year with a very good performance against us.

“He’s obviously a Sunderland boy who’s come through the academy there.

“He’s a good player, but for us, no, we have clarity about what we would like to bring in and we’re working hard to achieve that.”

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The Verdict

Given that Portsmouth are not looking to sign Diamond, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the winger.

Whereas Sunderland will be in no rush to sell him this summer due to the fact his contract at the Stadium of Light runs until 2024, they may find it beneficial to sanction another loan move between now and the end of the window.

Although Diamond will be keen to stay and fight for a place in the club’s starting eleven, a move to a team in a lower division will provide him with the opportunity to play regularly at senior level.

Not included in Sunderland’s squad for their draw with Coventry City yesterday, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Diamond attracts some more interest from elsewhere in the coming weeks.