Jordan Pickford is worth DOUBLE the £20m Sunderland banked for Liverpool and England skipper Jordan Henderson, according to David Moyes.
The Black Cats sold homegrown midfielder Henderson to the Reds in 2011, but since then transfer fees have grown exponentially and in today’s market academy graduate Pickford is likely to command a fee of up to £40m - twice as much as Everton are reportedly prepared to offer.
The 23-year-old is recognised as the hottest goalkeeping prospect in the country, and has already earned an England call-up, but is likely to leave Wearside this summer following Sunderland’s relegation.
He has been monitored by a queue of elite clubs and there will be no shortage of takers.
Moyes’ old club Everton are interested and there has been talk of a £20m bid, but Moyes insisted: “I wouldn’t say any figure, but that [£20m] would maybe get you one glove.
“I have heard some disrespectful figures being bandied about.
Jordan Pickford of Sunderland (Photo: Getty Images Europe)
“We don’t want to sell Jordan, but if we have to sometime on the journey, which sometimes you have to, in order to reinvest, it would take very big money.
“It would need to be a really, really big offer.
“I have heard some really derisory sort of figures getting mentioned, and it wouldn’t be any of those figures, I can tell you that.”
And asked if £30m would be a realistic starting point, Moyes replied: “Yes.”
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Pickford’s emergence as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper has been a chink of light in an otherwise miserable season which has seen Sunderland relinquish their Premier League status after a decade in the top flight.
Moyes said: “I feel bad talking about him so much, but I think he has been the highlight and the positive we can really mention.
“For a young boy to break in and actually become an England international in as much as he was called up for the squad, Jordan has been excellent.”
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- Chroniclelive