Sunderland had a nightmare with Greenwood

Sunderland have plenty of promising younger gamers in Tony Mowbray’s squad who’re pushing to change into regulars within the facet this season.

Daniel Neil has established himself as a starter, with 14 begins within the Championship, and the likes of Abdoullah Ba, Edouard Michut, and Amad Diallo needs to be hoping to comply with in his footsteps.

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The Black Cats have loved success with younger gamers over time, whether or not that has been with signings or gamers from the academy, however they’ve additionally had their justifiable share of gaffes, in gems not fulfilling their potential or leaving too early.

One participant the membership had a nightmare with was younger ahead Sam Greenwood. The attacker left the membership in the summertime of 2018 and is now beginning to make his breakthrough at first-team degree.

He joined Arsenal because the Black Cats negotiated an upfront price of £500k – with add-ons taking it over £1m – to promote him forward of the 2018/19 marketing campaign, with Stewart Donald unable to persuade the gem to remain after 12 aim contributions in 15 video games for the U18s.

Greenwood then moved to Leeds for a price rising to £3m in the summertime of 2020 and he was promoted to the first-team squad at Elland Street in January of this 12 months.

Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan beforehand hailed the younger ahead’s set-piece high quality and described his deadball means as a “weapon“.

Jesse Marsch has additionally heaped reward on the gem up to now, saying: “To start with, he has numerous flexibility to his sport. He’s performed six, eight, 10, he can play striker. In some methods, it’s not truthful to him to attempt completely different positions, however he’s an clever participant. He matches inside what we’re attempting to construct inside our crew.

“He’s a tough employee, he’s an clever man, he’s ready and that’s the explanation why we use him in numerous positions as a result of he’s very adaptable. He understands ways and his function and he has huge expertise.”

Greenwood scored 21 targets and supplied six assists in 40 U21 matches for Leeds and that was sufficient to persuade the American head coach to advertise him to the primary crew, the place he has made 17 appearances to this point – aiding two targets within the Premier League.

The 20-year-old has performed four matches within the English top-flight this season and is exhibiting that he’s a participant with the potential to change into an everyday at that degree sooner or later, as he’s being trusted with minutes at such a younger age.

Subsequently, former Black Cats proprietor Donald had a howler by failing to persuade Greenwood to remain as they missed out on having a terrific younger expertise within the Academy of Mild and had been compensated with simply £500k – because the add-ons had been not likely to have been met as a result of him transferring on to Leeds.

Sunderland supporters will now have to look at the remainder of his profession unfold and, if he continues to be a hit within the prime flight, surprise what might have been…