Everton are interested in signing Sunderland star Tommy Watson on deadline day for the winter 2025 transfer window, so here is everything you need to know about him.
The teenager has emerged as a last-ditch option for Everton to sign with David Moyes eager to see the Merseyside natives make waves during the final hours of the market. The Everton manager has asked the Blues to add to his attack to help take the Toffees clear of relegation.
Watson does not have any experience of the Premier League yet, having only made his first-team breakthrough with Sunderland in the 2024/25 Championship campaign. But his efforts for manager Regis Le Bris on Wearside put the youngster on many top-flight team’s radars.
Everton are rivalling Tottenham and Brighton to sign Tommy Watson from Sunderland
Graeme Bailey exclusively told Everton News that Everton are rivalling Tottenham Hotspur to sign Watson from Sunderland after Moyes requested a new attacker. He merited the Toffees’ interest after impressing their scouts with Everton watching Sunderland a lot in the last year.
Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace also retain an interest in Watson. But Sunderland do not want him to leave the Stadium of Light with the forward helping fire the Black Cats to a top-four position over their first 29 Championship fixtures, and bring promotion into focus.
The Seagulls have, however, already tried to test the Wearside team’s resolve. Brighton have offered Sunderland up to £12m to sign Watson, yet the Amex Stadium side’s bid fell flat with the Black Cats unwilling to accept an initial £9m plus add-ons to sell their academy product.
Talks between the Seagulls and the Black Cats matured on deadline day, though, as Watson will undergo a medical with Brighton. But the Stadium of Light side are still yet to give a deal their final green light as Sunderland want to sign Simon Adingra to let Watson join Brighton.
So, with that, Everton News takes a look at everything you need to know about Watson from the Sunderland academy product’s life outside of football to his senior career injury record…
Who is Everton transfer target Tommy Watson?
Everton transfer target Tommy Watson is a product of the academy ranks of Sunderland AFC having initially joined the Black Cats at the Under-9s level and risen through their age ranks. Watson is also an England youth international and has taken caps at the U17 and U18 levels.
Sunderland gifted Watson his first professional contract in September 2023 after producing an impressive season with their U18 and U21 teams. The attacker recorded seven goals and nine assists through 22 appearances in 2022/23 and Watson made his Championship debut.
Watson made his senior Sunderland debut at 17 years and 10 days old as a late substitute in a 1-1 draw at home to Huddersfield Town in the Championship on April 18, 2023. But he did not establish a regular place in their senior side until 2024/25 after remaining a key U21 ace.
How old is Everton transfer target Tommy Watson? When was he born?
As of the time of writing, Tommy Watson is 18 years old and he was born on April 8, 2006.
Where was Tommy Watson born? What is his nationality?
Tommy Watson is English and was born in Easington, a village set in eastern County Durham.
How tall is Tommy Watson? What is his height in feet?
Measuring in at 1.90m tall, Tommy Watson stands at a height of 6 ft 2 in feet and inches.
How good is Tommy Watson? What’s been said about the striker?
Boyhood Sunderland fan Tommy Watson earned Premier League interest long before he was a first-team regular at the Stadium of Light, with his exploits as a youth getting the attention of Nottingham Forest. But the Reds failed to tempt the Black Cats to cash in on his potential.
His Under-21 manager at Sunderland, Graeme Murty, was also a big believer in Watson and what he could offer the Black Cats’ academy outside of his accustomed left-winger position.
“We know that he’s quite destructive playing off the left,” Murty said after Watson featured more centrally against Newcastle United in the Premier League 2 in August 2024. “He has a challenge when he goes to the right – just seeing the game from a different angle.
“So, we thought we’d play him in the middle as well because that will challenge his receiving skills, his combination play and, actually, he’s a real threat when he’s running at people.”
Rival managers have even lauded Watson when they have faced the Sunderland gem. Narcis Pelach praised Watson after scoring twice to beat his Stoke City squad 2-1. Chris Wilder also called Watson a “good player to counter-attack with” after facing him with Sheffield United.
“We had a bit of a problem on the right in the second half defending that side with Watson,” Pelach said in December 2024. The Spanish coach added: “I knew they had wingers who are very good in one-on-one situations. I wanted to double up all the time.”
What position does Tommy Watson play?
Sunderland largely developed Tommy Watson through their academy ranks to play as a left-sided midfielder or in a more advanced position on the left wing. But the youngster can also play on the right flank and even registered appearances in central roles as a youth prospect.
Tommy Watson’s injury record
Despite Tommy Watson very much still being in the early phases of his senior career, injury and fitness issues have already impacted his emergence as a first-team star at the Stadium of Light. A tackle from Luke McNally of Bristol City derailed his breakout season in 2024/25.
| INJURY | CLUB | DATE | GAMES MISSED |
| Knee and ankle injuries | Sunderland AFC | December 2024 – present | 10+ |
Tommy Watson’s salary at Sunderland
Sunderland are still yet to reward Tommy Watson with a fresh contract to recognise his first-team breakthrough, with the Everton transfer target still on the same deal he signed back in September 2023 when the Black Cats decided to give the forward his first professional deal.
Watson’s contract at Sunderland is due to run until June 30, 2026 and is only believed to be worth a wage of £600 a week, giving the England youth prospect a yearly salary of £31,200.
What is Tommy Watson’s Instagram account?
Tommy Watson has a public Instagram account, under the username @tommywatsn, which the Sunderland academy prospect uses to share photos and updates on his career. As of the time of writing, Watson’s Instagram account opened in January 2017 has 17,000 followers.
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