This season, Alex Bass has been playing really well for AFC Wimbledon. The Sunderland loanee has shown that he is a dependable goalie for the Dons.
With 15 shutouts from 39 appearances this season, the 25-year-old leads the way in the fourth tier for clean sheets as the South London team currently holds the final playoff berth.
It is impossible to overstate Bass’ impact on a backline that was notorious for giving goals away last season, and his parent club Sunderland will have to make a significant choice on his future this summer.
Alex Bass 23/24 AFC Wimbledon season
After coming up through the ranks at Fratton Park and moving to the Stadium of Light from Portsmouth in the summer of 2022, Bass has yet to play in a league game for the Black Cats.
Prior to moving to the northeast, he had a successful loan stint at Bradford City, where he made 21 appearances for the Bantams during his first regular stint of first-team action and maintained six clean sheets.
As it stands, the goalie’s only accomplishment during his tenure on Wearside is two cup appearances; regular goaltender Anthony Patterson is a clear winner in the race for the starting shirt.
Due to this, Bass has had to search elsewhere for first team opportunities. Had Wimbledon called last summer, he would have seized the chance to establish himself as a reliable shot-blocker.
Having kept three clean sheets in his first four games of the season, he has more than made up for lost time in his reintroduction to regular football. His 23/24 campaign looks good.
In terms of shutouts, Bass leads players like Christy Pym and Ben Hinchliffe with 15 thus far. The two, along with Paul Farman of Barrow, have kept the opponents scoreless 13 times.
With 101 saves to his name, Bass is sixth in the division in terms of save totals this season. The only goalies with more saves than him are those from teams at the bottom, such Crawley Town’s Corey Addai, who has stopped 134 shots.
With so many years on his side, the 25-year-old’s save percentage of 71.6% places him among the top in the division once again. With experience on his side, he should only get better.
Despite the fact that they are currently three points behind the Dons in the race for the final playoff spot in the fourth division, his performance this season has allowed the team to sit seventh in the League Two standings with 57 points.
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Alex Bass Sunderland contract information
There is no doubt that Bass might go up to League One in the upcoming season after establishing himself as a worthy custodian in the fourth division, but at this point in his career, it may still be out of the question for him to perform at such a high level.
As things stand, fellow backup Nathan Bishop is content to warm the bench at the Stadium of Light, so it seems doubtful that either of the two will unseat Patterson to take a regular spot as the final line of defence.
The Black Cats’ goalkeeper [shown] has kept nine clean sheets in 38 games in the second division this season while allowing just 45 goals, and his 102 shots rank among the top six in the division.
According to reports, Bass’s Wearside deal will expire in the summer of 2025, but the club may choose to extend it for an additional year if they so choose.
But the Mackems might be inclined to let go of the 25-year-old in the off-season in order to free up some cash to improve other areas of the team, because this might be the last summer in which they can command a fee for their goalie.
It’s a deal that might work for all sides, as Bass will probably draw interest from a number of League One teams following his excellent season. However, moving to a Championship team right now seems unlikely, as he needs another year to establish himself in the third division.
Before Sol Brynn moved to the O’s from Middlesbrough last summer, Leyton Orient was rumoured to be interested in his services. If and when their temporary number one returns to the Riverside in the summer, Leyton Orient may decide to resume their pursuit of him.
In order to close the agreement, he might have to give up some money, but in the long run, the custodian would be making the right decision to move on this summer, with Sunderland unlikely to stand in his way.
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