Sunderland have recently taken in a new player on trial.
Sunderland fielded a trialist in a Central League clash vs Huddersfield Town on Wednesday.
And a number of first-team players featured too, including Mason Burstow, Luis Hemir, Aji Alese, and Timothee Pembele.
But it was the trialist in goal who caught most people’s attention.
Sunderland take a look at trialist
Sunderland of course put a lot of focus on youth and youth development.
They’ve signed players after successful trial periods before, though Kristjaan Speakman and the club have placed arguably more focus on Europe and on bringing in youngsters from other academies.
But journalist James Copley has revealed that the trialist at Sunderland on Wednesday was Lewis Ridd.
Who is Lewis Ridd
Ridd is formerly of Ipswich Town.
He joined the Derby County academy ahead of this season and was sent out on loan to nearby non-league outfit Mickleover Sport FC.
But it looks like the Welsh U19 shot-stopper could be on the move once again, and this time to Sunderland and to their ever-growing and ever-impressing academy ranks.
Sunderland Echo say that Ridd is now formerly of Derby County, although there’s no official confirmation of such online.
Clear Kristjaan Speakman priority now emerging
Ridd is the second goalkeeper that Sunderland have been linked with in the past week, after links to Wigan Athletic and England U21 man Sam Tickle emerged.
Tickle is being eyed as a potential replacement for Anthony Patterson.
Academy graduate Patterson has a lot of interest ahead of the summer and could potentially leave the Stadium of Light; also potentially pocketing the club a big transfer sum.
Jack Clarke also looks set to leave in what could be a very testing, albeit financially fruitful summer transfer window for the Black Cats.
Sunderland need to strike a balance in the summer
Signing young players is all well and good. But Sunderland have experienced first-hand this season that youth won’t solve all their problems.
In fact, an over-emphasis on signing young players has arguably caused Sunderland more problems than it has solved them this season.
Expect the club to maintain this philosophy to a degree, though Speakman and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus will surely recognise their errors in the transfer market this season, and bring in some more Championship-experienced players in the summer.
It promises to be a crucial, but hopefully exciting summer for Sunderland, who also have a new manager to hire.