Sunderland caretaker boss Kevin Ball has made clear he feels Jack Colback should stay.
The midfield utility comes off contract at the end of the season.
"He is good but he can be even better and he has to bring that out of himself. "I think that if people feel that he isn't particularly good, then they would be being unfair.
"You have to bear in mind the positions he's filled.
"He's been right back, left-back, centre-mid and not let the side down in any of those roles - there's not many players who could achieve that.
"So I think he should be given an absolute pat on the back for that - that's not to say that I don't think he can do more, because I do."
