Wolves and Millwall miss out on Sunderland deal as Wrexham reach £8m breakthrough | OneFootball

Wrexham have agreed an £8m fee with Sunderland for keeper Anthony Patterson, who had been a target for Wolves and Millwall.

Wrexham are closing in on the signing of Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson after agreeing an £8m fee with the Premier League club for the keeper.

It has been a slow window so far for the Red Dragons, with Danny Imray and Ben Whiteman the two major additions to Phil Parkinson’s squad so far.

Of course, with Wrexham having just missed out on the play-offs last season, they didn’t need an overhaul, but they are in the market for quality additions that will raise the level of the squad.

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Anthony Patterson set for Wrexham medical as £8m transfer agreed

It has been apparent that Parkinson wants a new number one for the 2026/27 campaign, and reports earlier in the window claimed Patterson was a target.

However, with Wolves and Millwall also chasing the keeper, it was going to be a difficult deal for the Welsh outfit to do.

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Yet, it appears they have won the race for the 26-year-old, as Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie confirmed that an £8m fee has been agreed between the two clubs, with Patterson now travelling to Wrexham to finalise the transfer.

The former England U21 international, who came through the ranks at Sunderland, helped the club to promotion from League One, and he starred as they reached the Premier League.

But, when Robin Roefs joined last summer, he fell down the pecking order, so a move was always on the cards this summer, with Patterson having spent the second half of last season with Millwall.

Anthony Patterson will be a big player for Wrexham this season

Patterson’s CV at this level is very impressive, so there’s no denying that this is a real coup for Wrexham.

With Millwall and Wolves having also shown an interest, it shows the view within the game is that he is a keeper who can play for clubs that are challenging for promotion.

Many felt he was harshly treated by Sunderland at the time when he wasn’t given a chance in the Premier League, even if that has turned out to be the right decision, but it’s proof that the quality is there.

As well as that, he was a steady, reliable figure for Millwall after joining them in January, and whilst he made a rare error in the play-off semi-final, most Lions supporters recognise that he improved the team after he joined.

As outlined above, this summer is about bringing in players who can make Wrexham’s XI better, and whilst they have decent options in goal, it’s hard to argue that Patterson is not a big upgrade on what they have.

Of course, £8m is a big price, and that could potentially put Patterson in the mix as a club-record signing, but it shows how highly those at the club rate him.

So, it looks like another good bit of business for the club, and Patterson will be desperate to get started with his new teammates as he looks to win another promotion.

Providing it all goes through, the keeper could potentially make his debut against Cardiff City next week.