League One club join Bailey Wright chase with Sunderland open to allowing him to leave
Derby County have joined Hibs and Aberdeen in the race to sign Sunderland defender Bailey Wright.
Wright has fallen down the pecking order at Sunderland this season, with Dan Ballard, Danny Batth and Luke O’Nien all currently ahead of him.
Sunderland are understood to be willing to allow Wright to leave should he receive a good offer from someone.
Former Sunderland boss Lee Johnson is keen to sign him for Hibs, while fellow SPL club Aberdeen also have a keen interest.
Now, according to the Daily Record, Derby County have joined the race to sign Wright.
The Australian was used as a second-half substitute in Sunderland’s 2-0 win over Middlesbrough yesterday, but with Aji Alese now fit again and Luke O’Nien due back from suspension on February 11, the Black Cats will need to make a decision Wright’s future.
Tony Mowbray has not ruled out a move, and in fact suggested he is comfortable with Wright leaving once others are available again.
"It's not in my mind to think about Bailey staying or going, and I'm not sure that publicly I want to talk about people's situations,” Mowbray said. “Those conversations between coaches and players are private.
"What I would say is that if everybody is fit and available in our squad, there is probably an overload of five or six central defenders.
"I'm very much about the individual and what's right for them,” Mowbray said.
"If you're talking about a footballer of, say, 32 or 33 years old and when everybody is fit he finds he is not on the bench, the human side of me says 'what do you want to do - sit here and train every day, or explore other avenues?' If they want to explore other avenues then I am sympathetic to that.
"But we have to put the football club first, and the football club needs people at certain times and they won't go anywhere."
Read more Sunderland coverage
- Ten players you probably forgot played for Sunderland in League One
- 'Terrific' - Michael Carrick gives verdict on Tony Mowbray, Amad Diallo and Sunderland play-off chances
- Five recent transfers that show Sunderland January signings are worth the wait
- Newcastle and RB Leipzig making 'inquiries' about on-loan Sunderland youngster
- 'The kind of personality you want' - Tony Mowbray pays tribute to Sunderland star
- Sunderland could allow defender to make January exit with SPL club keen
- Amad Diallo to remain at Sunderland after Man Utd clause to recall him early expired