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

Tommy Watson is expected to go on loan again this summer, with a Championship switch viewed as likely. Sunderland Echo understands Brighton still rate the 20-year-old, who joined from Sunderland for around £10million last year on a long-term deal.

His first season away from Wearside was mixed. He made 10 Brighton appearances in the first half of 2025-26 and scored on debut in a 6-0 EFL Cup win over Oxford United. With Premier League minutes scarce, he joined Millwall in February, reuniting with Alex Neil, and made 12 outings.

Competition for wide roles at Brighton remains intense. Kaoru Mitoma has 12 months left on his contract, Ibrahim Osman impressed in spells and Diego Gomez is another option, and the club could strengthen again. Another loan currently offers the clearest route to regular minutes.

An Academy of Light graduate, Watson made his senior debut against Huddersfield Town in April 2023. His breakthrough came in 2024-25 when he scored his first league goals in a 2-1 win over Stoke City. Brighton struck a deal in April 2025 and he joined that summer.

He then scored a stoppage-time winner in the Championship play-off final against Sheffield United, completing a 2-1 comeback at Wembley and sealing Sunderland’s return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

Internationally, he has represented England across youth levels, making his under-21 debut in September 2025. He had earlier played for the under-17s, under-18s and under-19s, and received an under-20 call-up during his Millwall spell.

Source: Sunderland Echo