Sunderland academy graduate on trial at Sheffield Wednesday amid Hillsborough transfer update
One former Sunderland star who departed Wearside in 2020 featured for Sheffield Wednesday’s Under-21s on Tuesday.
From Jordan Pickford’s rise to England stardom to Jordan Henderson’s illustrious career with Liverpool, the Black Cats have had some excellent academy stars come through the ranks.
Even today, the likes of Chris Rigg and Matty Young are waiting for their Premier League breakthrough, with Sunderland consistently showcasing a path to the first team for their own youth talent.
That has been the case for a long time at the Stadium of Light, with one of their former graduates potentially on the lookout for a move to Sheffield Wednesday.
Duncan Watmore searching for his next club
Eleven years ago, Duncan Watmore was the latest youth prodigy looking to stamp his authority on Sunderland, and for several years, he did.
The Englishman scored eight goals in 87 appearances for the Black Cats, but had his progress halted severely by a series of injuries.
Watmore, now 31 years old, suffered a knee injury at Sunderland in the 2016-17 season, which ruled him out for 36 games, before it happened again the season after, ruling him out for a further 54 fixtures.
His Sunderland career started to fade away after the first blow, with moves to Middlesbrough and Millwall following his exit.
Watmore departed Millwall last summer and has since featured for Sheffield Wednesday’s U21 side on Tuesday as a trialist.
However, the Owls are unlikely to sign him as things stand.
Sheffield Wednesday can’t sign Watmore, yet
As a result of the registration embargo that was placed on the Owls due to financial issues, Sheffield Wednesday were only permitted to sign two free agents.
With the arrival of former Leeds star Liam Cooper and former Saints winger Nathan Redmond, both of those spots have now been occupied, leaving no room for Watmore to sign, even if both parties agreed to a deal.
Joe Crann via X claimed that the Owls can’t sign him yet, but didn’t rule out the possibility of a move down the line.
With the January transfer window just weeks away, there is a chance that the Owls could seal his arrival then on a free transfer, though that is likely to require the approval of the EFL.
Watmore scored five goals for Millwall last season, and given the likelihood of Sheffield Wednesday being in League One next season, he would be a tidy addition.
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