BREAKING REPORT:Anger over a contract causes a Sunderland star to REFUSE to play and demand a move.

As he considers leaving Sunderland, star Alex Pritchard declined to play against Stoke on Saturday.

Having been a vital member of the Black Cats this season, the former Tottenham midfielder was expected to be included in the squad for their most recent Championship match on Saturday. But the team declared prior to kickoff that he had withdrawn from consideration for selection.

Before the match against Stoke, the following statement was released: “Alex Pritchard withdrew from today’s matchday squad on Friday morning, informing the club that he was no longer available for selection.

“The midfield player also declared that he wanted to quit SAFC right away. The club has decided not to speak further at this time.

According to reports, Pritchard, 30, made the choice in the midst of a falling out over his contract. At the end of the current season, the midfielder’s contract will expire.

He wants a new two-year contract at the Stadium of Light, but Sunderland is only willing to give him a one-year extension, according to The Sun. Birmingham could potentially move, and foreign teams are also prepared to offer him a more secure agreement.

When questioned about the current state of affairs, Sunderland manager Michael Beale expressed a desire to keep things under wraps. After his team won 3-1, he added, “To be honest, it’s been ongoing, not just the last 24 hours.”

“This boy, whose contract is about to expire, has been offered a new one. I believe that mentally, this is too much for him.” Let’s continue to concentrate on the players who competed today.

As Sunderland ended a three-game losing streak in all competitions, it didn’t seem like they missed Pritchard all that much. Mason Burstow, Pierre Ekwah, and Abdoullah Ba scored, but Jenson Seelt’s own goal stole the show from the scoreboard.

After moving from Huddersfield to Sunderland in 2021, Pritchard contributed to the team’s League One promotion. He has nine goals and 115 appearances under his belt with the team.

He began his career in the Spurs youth ranks and has worked for Peterborough, Swindon, West Brom, and Norwich in addition to other teams. Head coach of the Black Cats Beale continued, saying, “I’m thrilled with the players and for them. The boys’ hard ethic and camaraderie behind the scenes made today’s victory especially noteworthy. The past two or three results have made for a challenging few weeks.

“It has been an unusual beginning to my stay at the club, don’t you think? A lot of emotion is present. All in for the club, that is. In order for me to stay here for the long run, it is critical that my team and our team do well enough for the supporters to cheer us on. They did today. We aim to improve upon that one performance.