Former Sunderland goalkeeper Max Stryjek is set to play in the Champions League in the 2024/25 campaign after a big move.
So far, this summer has now been far from an enjoyable one for the Stadium of Light faithful. The Black Cats are yet to appoint a new manager despite sacking Michael Beale back in February.
The club have now gone well over 100 days without a permanent man in the dugout which has no doubt delayed preparations for the upcoming 2024/25 campaign.
However, one former Sunderland man who is experiencing a fantastic summer is Stryjek.
The former Black Cats youngster has just signed for a new club and looks set to play a big part in the Champions League in the coming weeks.
Read more: Sunderland’s summer transfer windows ranked since they were relegated from the Premier League.
Former Sunderland youngster Max Stryjek signs for Champions League outfit Jagiellonia Bialystok
Stryjek joined Sunderland’s academy back in 2015 when the Black Cats were competing in the Premier League.
The Polish goalkeeper was then sent out on loan to Boston United, Accrington Stanley and Eastleigh. He also made the bench for Sunderland in two separate finals at Wembley. However, he never made a competitive first-team appearance for the Black Cats.
In 2019, he departed and joined Eastleigh permanently for a year before moving up to Scotland to play for Livingston. After three years north of the border, he joined Wycombe in League One where he spent the last two years before being released his summer.
However, he was not without a club for long. Stryjek returned to his homeland where he signed for Polish Champions Jagiellonia Bialystok.
The goalkeeper’s new club had never won the Polish top division before but are now set to enter the Champions League in the second qualifying round.
According to the Sunderland Echo, Stryjek, who was highly regarded at Sunderland prior to his departure, had offers to return to the Scottish Premiership but opted to return to Poland.
Good to see former Sunderland faces finding success
While it may not seem like it, Stryjek finding success outside of Sunderland could well be good for the Black Cats.
To see a player who formerly played for the academy achieve success will only help increase the prestige of their youth system.
Goalkeepers in particular seemingly do excellent after progressing through the Sunderland ranks. England’s number one, Jordan Pickford is the obvious choice while Anthony Patterson is currently the Black Cats’ first choice.
Hopefully, young ‘keepers see the continued success that Sunderland players have at the club and if they depart so that the club can attract the best talent in the country.