Another Sunderland academy product has raised an ‘interesting’ question over whether he could be promoted to the first team next season.
Sunderland have reaped the rewards of their brilliant academy in recent years, with Anthony Patterson, Dan Neil and Chris Rigg all making their mark this term.
The Stadium of Light has become the perfect place for promising youngsters to develop and be given a taste of senior football, with players such as Trai Hume and Dan Ballard really thriving at the club.
While Sunderland‘s attacking quality seems to be declining because of the amount of youth they have invested into that area, their options at the opposite end of the pitch is actually looking very exciting.
While Patterson has endured his criticism, the goalkeeper has mostly been ‘unbelievable’ since coming into the team, and he isn’t the only one.
Matty Young has caught the eye since making his debut in pre-season at only 16 years old, before joining Darlington in February.
The teenager has started nine games in the National League North and has kept three clean sheets – earning himself a place in the England U18s squad.
After being named on the bench for their win over Czech Republic last week, journalist James Copley has reported that Young will earn his first start against the Netherlands today.
Young joins Chris Rigg making his way from the academy to the England youth set-up, with the midfielder netting in the U17s 5-0 win over Hungary at the weekend.
Ahead of Young’s start, Copley was questioned as to whether the 17-year-old could follow in Rigg’s footsteps into the first team next season.
Copley replied: “Think it is a really interesting question. They’ll want Young and Richardson to get some experience.
“Patto is obviously number one but there’s the promising Dan Cameron as well. Will Bass and Bishop stay? We’re stacked when it comes to keepers.”
Is it too early for another Sunderland youngster to have his breakthrough?
BothChris Rigg and Matty Young are very highly-rated at the Academy of Light, but it is much harder to ease a goalkeeper in like we did with his teammate.
Young is really impressing at Darlington at the minute, and it certainly seems the most sensible option to go down that route next season as well.
If Anthony Patterson stays on Wearside this summer then there is no doubt that he will remain number one, while he realistically needs an older, more experienced understudy to help him develop himself. It is not an area where we want to be inundated with youngsters.
Young could well become Sunderland’s first-choice ‘keeper once Patterson leaves, but he needs more experience in senior football before then. Jordan Pickford was sent out on loan six times before establishing his place in the first team – and he’s now the nation’s best.