A Premier League star has disclosed that he previously went on trial with Sunderland but was turned down.
Sunderland and their Academy of Light are producing some of the best young players, and at an increasing rate.
Tom Watson appears to be the next star to move up from the youth squad to the first team this season, following in the footsteps of Chris Rigg, Anthony Patterson, and Dan Neil, to mention a few.
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman, the club’s sporting director, place a strong emphasis on youth recruiting, development, and progression.
Previously, Sunderland’s transfer strategy was somewhat unbalanced.
Sunderland in the Premier League
Sunderland last played in the Premier League seven years ago, and a lot has happened since then.
The Black Cats spent handsomely in the last Premier League season, spending about £20 million on Didier Ndong before spending similarly on Papi Djilobodji and Paddy McNair, among others.
Sunderland has since spent its share of money in the Football League, but on flops like Will Grigg.
The Wearsiders aren’t huge spenders right now, preferring to bring in younger players for lower fees and transform them into attractive assets on the transfer market.
They appear to have missed out on a player who is currently valued at £77 million.
Ebere Eze reveals previous Sunderland trial
Ebere Eze moved to Crystal Palace from QPR in 2020 for a reputed sum of about £20 million.
And in his fourth season at Selhurst Park, Eze has already made 107 Premier League games, scoring 22 goals and assisting 17 times.
He was on hand to score the winning goal for Palace in their 1-0 victory over Liverpool last Saturday.
Last month, the 25-year-old was connected with Manchester City, who are reportedly willing to pay up to £77 million for the Englishman.
In a recent interview, Eze described his career into football, including how multiple teams rejected him before QPR offered him an opportunity in 2016.
Eze said:
“I opted to go to Arsenal. I stayed there for about five years, played there for two and a half years, was released, and then went to Reading for half a year before being released. Then I moved to Millwall for my scholarship and spent two years there before being released. Later went on trial with a few teams, including Sunderland and Bristol City. I got liberated. Not released, but didn’t get in.”
What could’ve been for Ebere Eze and the Black Cats
Many clubs missed out on Eze.
Not only will Sunderland regret not giving him an opportunity, but so will a number of other teams, including QPR and now Palace.
The Eagles appear to be on the verge of a hefty payoff in terms of Eze, however Sunderland still has some key assets.
Jack Clarke appears to be on track to make a significant profit for the club this summer, and he might become Eze’s successor at Palace.
And there’s a sense that if a young Eze was on trial at Sunderland today, he’d be given a shot and would most likely break into the first team.
The Black Cats must ensure that no future stars, like as Eze, escape their clutches, and that when they do find one, such as Rigg, they do everything in their power to keep him.
Leave a Reply