The Academy of Light has played host to a number of exciting young players coming through the ranks at Sunderland, but seldom do they make it in the northeast.
More often than not, the Black Cats’ young players decide to head to pastures new with the likes of Jordan Pickford going on to forge a wonderful career for himself at Liverpool.
More recent examples include that of Josh Maja, Joe Hugill, Bali Mumba, Luke Hewitson, Morten Spencer and Logan Pye.
However, one of the most famous instances is undoubtedly Jordan Pickford.
England’s number 1 departed the Mackems a while ago now in a whopping £30m deal and since his departure, his career has been a complete whirlwind.
He might be Gareth Southgate’s go-to man for England and indeed, he has never let the former Middlesbrough figure down. Yet, in an Everton shirt he has been teased for his constant errors and mistakes, with commentator Ross Dyer labelling him a “huge liability” earlier this season.
Though, for the most part, he has enjoyed a successful career since leaving the Stadium of Light behind.
Sunderland have had plenty of goalkeepers since he exited the club and they currently have a fine crop coming through, including 21-year-old Anthony Patterson.
He has made his breakthrough this term but it’s another young stopper, that of 20-year-old Jacob Carney who we want to focus on.
Carney has only made one appearance for the first team which came in the EFL Trophy but there is a huge expectancy surrounding his future with U23 coach Michael Proctor hailing his “excellent” performances.
The young ‘keeper has already been tipped to follow in Patterson’s footsteps and even if he isn’t completely homegrown at Sunderland, having been released from Manchester United, he is certainly someone to be excited about.
Also not afraid to have the ball at his feet, there is more than just the Sunderland youth teams that bond Pickford and Carney together.
Should his progression continue there is every reason to believe that he could become the club’s new Pickford. Isn’t that an exciting thought?
AND in other news, Sold for £4m, now worth £11.7m: Sunderland had a howler over “very solid” colossus…