Matt Young could be in line for senior opportunity at Sunderland sooner than planned, here’s why
Matt Young is one of many young players looking to make the step up at Sunderland.
And based on recent years, that ambition is warranted.
Dan Neil, Chris Rigg, Tommy Watson and Anthony Patterson have all graduated from the Academy of Light over the last few seasons, as Sunderland show continued faith in their own youth programme.
With the likes of Timur Tutierov and Young, there are several other prospects who could find themselves far more heavily involved with the first team in due course.
In regard to the latter, that could happen sooner than expected.
Matt Young could make first-team step-up next season
Goalkeeping has never been an issue at Sunderland for the most part, with Simon Mignolet, Craig Gordon and Jordan Pickford among those to have thrived at the Stadium of Light.
And now, the Black Cats have Robin Roefs and Melker Ellborg, the latter of whom made his debut for the Wearsiders in their latest 1-0 win away to Leeds.
Roefs has had an immense debut season in the Premier League, but that has ultimately attracted plenty of interest from several European clubs, including Chelsea, who are rumoured to be eying a potential deal in the summer.
Should that be the case, the expectation is that Sunderland will hold out for a fee in the region of £50million to sanction a transfer, with Ellborg likely to step in for him.
And that is where Young comes in, knowing that he could easily be the backup to the Black Cats in the Premier League next season.
Young featured heavily in pre-season before joining Salford on loan, showcasing that he is already on Regis Le Bris’ radar.
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How has Young fared on loan at Salford?
His loan at Salford brought mixed results the first time, but his return has certainly aided his development.
Young has made 32 League Two appearances this season, with eight clean sheets to his name, but his deeper stats showcase how impressive he has been.
The teenager has saved 68.4 per cent of the shots he has faced this season, while also having prevented 2.67 xG.
With his distribution success rate at 41.6 per cent, it’s a clear area for improvement, but that will come with age, given the fact that he is still just 19 years old.
However, it’s clear that he is improving each and every week, and for Sunderland, that can only be a good thing.
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