One Black Cats youngster out on loan has been phenomenal in recent games in League Two.
Sunderland’s academy continues to produce many top-end youngsters that go on to massively contribute to the first-team.
The proof is in the pudding with the likes of Chris Rigg controlling the centre-of-the-park, and also popping up with the goals, as he did in the recent draw against Blackburn Rovers to level up the game, whilst he is also joined by fellow academy graduate Dan Neil.
Anthony Patterson and Tommy Watson also find themselves to be regulars in the side, and there is no doubt that 2025 will see more prospects brought into the side.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris will be keeping a keen eye on the likes of Harrison Jones, as well as 17-year-old forward Trey Ogunsuyi who could be handed a route into the first team, whilst another Black Cats youngster currently showing his quality in League Two on loan could be brought into the conversation after his recent achievements.
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Sunderland starlet Matty Young tops clean sheet percentage chart for the EFL
There are plenty of top shot-stoppers waiting in the wings at Sunderland, including 18-year-old goalkeeper Matty Young, who currently finds himself in-between the sticks for Salford City in League Two.
Despite a slow start to life with his loan side, he has been given full trust by Salford City boss Karl Robinson, notching five stars in a row, which have seen him rack up a total of four clean sheets.
As a result, the Sunderland youngster has managed an 80% clean sheet percentage, per Transfermarkt, meaning that he has the highest in the EFL (of the players that have played five or more games), with Leyton Orient’s Josh Keeley and Sheffield United’s Michael Cooper recording a 72.7% and 66.7% clean sheet record in second and third respectively.
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Matty Young looks set to be the perfect Anthony Patterson successor
Black Cats boss Le Bris may very well be thinking about the long term future of his current side that could see players move on in the future, with Patterson, for example, being a name touted amongst many others for a move elsewhere.
However, there will be few concerns exerted from the Frenchman knowing that Young is thriving at League Two level, and is showing clear signs that he could be Championship ready in a year or two.
Whilst it would be unfair to mount any pressure on Young in preemptively naming him as Patterson’s successor if the current first team shot-stopper did move on, it is clear that he has an impeccably high ceiling from what we’ve seen during his limited time at Salford City, and there is no doubt that his current trajectory is pointing him towards game-time with Sunderland at some point in the future.