Sunderland have seen one player depart on loan in the last 24 hours, but are likely to lose another at the end of the season.
Kenton Richardson, signed from non-league Hartlepool in August, has joined National League promotion hopefuls Notts County on a one-month loan. Previously, he made 43 league appearances for Pools, and will now be hoping to stop them from gaining promotion back to the Football League as one of the Magpies rivals.
The defender has made four appearances for the Sunderland Under 23 side this season and having recently see Lee Johnson promote Ollie Younger, this move could be a step towards a first-team chance later in the season.
One player whose first-team chances look to be on the slide is striker Mitchell Curry. News has broken via the Roker Rapport this morning that he could be on his way to Inter Miami, to link up with David Beckham and Phil Neville in MLS. Curry has one appearance for the Sunderland first team, as a late sub during the 1-1 draw with Wimbledon back in December, but he is out of contract at the end of the season.
It is understood there will not be a fee for Curry, but Sunderland will retain a 15% interest in any possible transfer fee he generates. Curry is not the first academy prospect to leave the club without breaking through – Joe Hugill left for Manchester United before making a senior appearance and is looking hugely promising for the Red Devils.
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Our View
Sadly, Sunderland might be a big club, but it is increasingly hard to keep hold of their young players without giving them a chance. The Sunderland academy is one of the finest in the business, churning out good players with regularity, but only a few make it through to the senior side.
If Curry were to leave, it would just be the latest in a long line of young players who have abandoned the Black Cats, with Joel Osorio, Josh Maja and Logan Pye three more who have also jumped ship in recent years.
