Sunderland have a number of players out on loan right now, and one of them has just earned some big praise following his weekend performance.
There were some surprising loan exits from the Stadium of Light during the summer transfer window, including the loan exit of Pierre Ekwah.
The Frenchman returned to France with St Etienne after what was a very mixed first full season in the Championship for the former West Ham midfielder.
Elsewhere, Luis Hemir sealed a shock loan move to Juventus, with Nectarios Triantis returning to Hibernian, Nathan Bishop joining Wycombe Wanderers, and Timothee Pembele heading to Le Havre.
Elsewhere, forgotten midfielder Jay Matete headed out on loan once again, sealing what is a third Sunderland loan exit after he joined Bolton Wanderers in League One.
Matete was tipped to leave Sunderland after barely featuring under Regis Le Bris during the pre-season.
He’s featured in all 12 of the Trotters’ League One fixtures this season. But put in his ‘best performance’ of the season last weekend.
Ian Evatt delighted as Jay Matete shines for Bolton Wanderers
Last season’s League One play-off finalists have endured quite a mixed season so far. But Ian Evatt’s men beat Peterborough United 1-0 over the weekend to land themselves in 9th place of the table.
Matete played the full 90 minutes in the heart of midfield. The Bolton News gave 23-year-old Matete an 8.5/10 rating on the day, with journalist Marc Iles adding: “His best performance of the season by some distance.
“Broke up play, used the ball sensibly and covered plenty of yards. Big step in the right direction.”
Speaking later to The Bolton News, Bolton boss Evatt spoke very fondly of Matete, saying: “Jay has a lot of ability. He is a very confident lad, and he believes in himself.
“I think he will go and show everyone what a good player he can be for us. I was delighted with him on Saturday.”
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Do Bolton Wanderers have the option to buy Jay Matete from Sunderland?
Matete joined Sunderland from Fleetwood Town midway through the promotion-winning 2021/22 season, with the central midfielder going on to feature 16 times in League One that season.
Since, he’s made just eight league appearances for the Black Cats, spending time on loan with Plymouth Argyle, Oxford United, and now Bolton.
Upon Matete’s move to Bolton Wanderers, there was no reports of the Trotters having either an option or obligation to buy the Englishman.
Matete remains under contract at the Stadium of Light until the summer of 2026. This season will no doubt decide what Sunderland want to do with the player, and likewise, whether or not the Black Cats earn promotion will have a say in Matete’s future.
All he can is keep on impressing for Bolton, as he did against Peterborough United on Saturday.