Josh Edwards

Wed 19 February 2025 13:21, UK

Sunderland have achieved their current success through the promotion and development of young players as they aim to return to the Premier League.

Sunderland’s defeat to Leeds United provided a low blow to their hopes of achieving automatic promotion, with Pascal Struijk scoring the winner just five seconds before the end of play.

However, the Black Cats remain in with a shot of returning to the Premier League and much of that is down to the model implemented at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland have made youth a priority, and the likes of Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham are the two biggest success stories as a result of that.

But with those successes, come risks. And as things stand, there are plenty of those present heading into the final 13 games of the campaign.

Sunderland may be in an all-or-nothing situation

With how well the young players have performed on Wearside, transfer interest is inevitable and there has been plenty of it over the last few months.

Jobe has been linked with a move away while several other players have been mooted for a step up to the Premier League, with or without Sunderland, which is the exact issue identified by Deeney if they fail to get promoted.

Speaking on talkSPORT (18 February, 9:25am), Deeney said: “That’s the problem with having a young squad.

“You probably have them for 18 months at best. I think they’re going into that spell now. I don’t think any of them would have wanted to leave in January because of the chance of getting promoted with Sunderland.

“But the likes of Jobe and Rigg will be wanted by at least 10 to 15 clubs come the summer. And I think for Sunderland, the problem there will be how you reinvest.

“Because once you lose those players, we just see it across the road at Middlesbrough, you lose a massive striker, the fan base expects a big striker to come in and the results to be the same. So real difficult job for them going into the summer.”

Sunderland can still achieve promotion

While the defeat at Elland Road definitely serves as a blow, it hasn’t ended their hopes of promotion whatsoever.

However, if the Black Cats are to retain some of their key talent, it may be a necessity, with the squad very likely to be dismantled if they fail to achieve it.

Given the gap from seventh, Sunderland can have a real go at the last 13 games, knowing that they have very little to lose as barring a disastrous collapse, play-offs should be nailed on.

At least on paper, Sunderland have a fairly decent run-in between now and the end of the season and they need to utilise those fixtures to gain momentum if nothing else.

A home encounter with Hull City is up next for the Black Cats who will be eager to right the wrongs from the disappointment at Elland Road.