Sunderland AFC, in recent years have been a great club for young players to get game time, an opportunity many top teams can’t afford to give to their promising young talent. Many of those players tend to start making a name for themselves, and even go on to have superb careers elsewhere.
For some players, teams like Sunderland are a place to regenerate their playing career and to get back on track their reputation. It is always a shame to see the players make a name for themselves at the Stadium of Light to never return in a red and white shirt.
Read Sunderland look to five out of many loan players that got away:
Danny Welbeck
Welbeck himself has claimed Sunderland are the team that turned him from a boy to man. As opportunities were far and in between at Manchester United, a young 2010 Danny Welbeck moved on loan to Wearside in hope of some game time. Game time is what he got and the rewards were unlimited, the striker scored 6 goals in 26 games, gained an England call-up in 2011 and went back to Manchester United with some merit backing his already undoubted potential.
Welbeck never had plans to return to Sunderland, and now finds himself returning from injury and pushing on for a starting place in an Arsenal side.
To think, what could have been with a front 3 of Welbeck, Bent and Gyan for many years?
Djibril Cissé
The failed permanent signing of Cissé was more of a case of being Sunderland’s fault rather than the players desire to stay.
Djibril Cissé, on loan from Marseille, scored 10 in 35 games, even contributing a goal in both Tyne and Wear derbies. The former Liverpool striker even publicly displayed his intention for a more permanent deal with The Black Cats. However, a deal was not struck between Sunderland and Marseille, and Cisse moved onto Greek side Panathinaikos in which he showed that his best years were still ahead of him clinching 50 goals in 63 games for Panathinaikos.
Cisse is now declared retired at the age of 34 due to injuries.
Jonny Evans
33 appearances in two loan spells for Jonny Evans proved very successful for both sides of the agreement. However, Evans didn’t see a permanent solution at the end of the loan spells, instead, he wanted to push for a place in Manchester United’s starting 11, a wise choice by Evans.
He returned to United and had success. Evans is declared the second most decorated player in Northern Irish football history with nine major trophies, but he now finds himself with bottom half of the table side, West Brom.
Would Evans have been the central defender Sunderland always needed for many years of his departure?
Marcos Alonso
The former Real Madrid and Bolton defender found himself loaned to Sunderland in 2014, making 20 appearances, he became loved on Wearside and not just for his good looks, Marcos Alonso was the left back Sunderland fans had been searching for years.
Unfortunately, Sunderland could not find an agreement with Fiorentina for the permanent purchase of Alonso, as the Spanish-born defender finds himself a vital part of their starting lineup.
Danny Rose
This was the fourth loan spell of Danny Rose’s Spurs career and it was the most influential of all at the Stadium of Light.
Danny Rose played 27 games in red and white scoring only one goal, the left-back proved an instant success, but the European football guaranteed by Tottenham Hotspur cemented Rose’s future with London club.