Former Sunderland, Burnley and Manchester United prospect Max Thompson has found a new club, penning a deal with the Slovakian side MFK Skalica.
The 21-year-old has been a free agent since leaving the Black Cats in October, having initially arrived on Wearside in 2022 from Burnley. He initially impressed for Sunderland, hitting a hat-trick for the Under 21s away at Derby County and grabbing two in the space of a minute against West Bromwich Albion.
His departure from the Academy of Light was a move which Sunderland’s head of academy, Robin Nicholls, was forced to defend. “Max’s game time has been limited this season, and after maintaining an open dialogue with him throughout the past few months, all parties agreed that Max should be free to pursue new opportunities,” he said.
That opportunity has now arrived in the form of Slovakian side MFK Skalica. They’re one of the smaller sides in the Nike Liga, playing at the 2,600-capacity Municipal Stadium. They’re currently ninth out of 12, with the league now splitting in half. That means a relegation battle, although the three teams below them are nine, 15 and 17 points adrift.
Thompson started his career as a trainee at Manchester United, progressing from the Under 9s through to the 15s. He was released at 15 and moved to Everton for 18 months. However, his game time was limited on Merseyside, so the Macclesfield-born striker switched to Burnley. Whilst at Turf Moor, he trained with the senior side, impressing Sean Dyche enough to earn a single appearance in the Premier League against Manchester City.
Sunderland paid a fee to take him to Wearside in July 2022, but it didn’t work out, and he’s been a free agent since. It’s understood he trialled with an unnamed League One club but will seek to follow in the footsteps of a number of young English players trying their luck on the continent with last season’s beaten Slovak Cup semi-finalists.
He becomes the third English player currently playing in Slovakia’s top flight, with former Woking and Millwall player Lazar Stojsavljević at AS Trenčín. The other, James Weir, is another former Manchester United academy player, who recently signed for bottom club Zlaté Moravce.
Writer’s View
Many young English players try their luck on the continent, whether it is the likes of Jadon Sancho or Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in Turkey. It’s a viable route to playing a good standard of football when all routes are closed off in England.
Thompson has a good pedigree as a youth, but that doesn’t always shift over to senior football. However, Sunderland paid a fee for Thompson, which underlines his potential. Who knows, if he is a success in Slovakia, it might be a route back to the English game within a couple of seasons.
