Anthony Patterson enjoyed an exceptional first season in the Championship following the Black Cats' promotion from League One.

It was unclear whether he was going to be trusted to be their number-one stopper considering he isn't the most experienced figure in their squad, but Alex Neil had faith in him and this has allowed him to shine under Tony Mowbray.

Now, it seems as though the club will continue to have him between the sticks as their first-choice keeper for the long term, even if he ends up making a few costly errors.

Why are Sunderland in a strong negotiating position?

Currently, just 22, he could easily have 15 years or more left in the tank before he decides to retire and that's partly why he won't be a cheap addition for any side looking to lure him away from the Stadium of Light.

His contract doesn't expire anytime soon either following the Wearside outfit's decision to tie him down to a new deal last summer.

Considering he has three years remaining on his deal, interested clubs can't exactly hold their nerve and pursue him when he's a free agent instead because he could have moved on from the Black Cats by then.

What is Anthony Patterson's stance on signing a new contract at Sunderland?

According to Alan Nixon, Patterson would be happy to sign another deal at the Stadium of Light despite only putting pen to paper on an extension last year.

His current contract runs out in 2026 but with Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers both being linked with a move for him, Mowbray's side may be keen to strengthen their position at the negotiating table further by extending his stay on Wearside.

Retaining Ross Stewart has to be a key priority for Sunderland at this stage considering he only has 12 months remaining on his deal, but if Patterson is keen to sign a new deal, they should look to extend the goalkeeper's stay before he potentially changes his mind.

Why Anthony Patterson should only sign a new contract on one condition

As Nixon has rightly pointed out, Leicester's chances of recruiting him have probably been reduced by their relegation, so it would be difficult to see him moving to the King Power Stadium this summer.

And at Wolves, Jose Sa is currently their first-choice stopper and is tied down until 2026, so there are no guarantees that the Sunderland keeper would start regularly at Molineux if he secured a move there.

With this in mind, it may not be the worst idea if Patterson signs a new deal, something that would probably allow him to earn a further pay rise.

However, he will surely generate further Premier League interest if he can retain his performance levels and although the Black Cats seem destined to return to the top flight at some point, that isn't guaranteed considering the quality of other sides in the second tier.

And if he does want to test himself in the top tier in the future, he should only be looking to sign a new deal with the Black Cats if there's a release clause in the contract.

How big should Anthony Patterson's release clause be?

It's difficult to judge at the moment - but £10m seems like a good figure for the player.

The club will probably want to increase that considering he could generate an even bigger bid than that in the future - but it can't be too high because that may persuade Patterson not to put pen to paper.

A compromise will need to be made by both parties - but Patterson needs to utilise the power he has to ensure he doesn't put pen to paper on a deal that gives him little say over his future.