Sunderland boss David Moyes rules out loan deal for midfield prospect

Sunderland are set to disappoint a host of interested clubs by refusing to let young prospect Ethan Robson go out on loan this month.
Ethan RobsonEthan Robson
Ethan Robson

Ipswich Town, Barnsley, Shrewsbury Town and Port Vale had all made enquiries for the 20-year-old central midfielder who had been earmarked for a temporary move in January.

The youngster, who has trained with the first team for most of this season, would no doubt have welcomed the chance of first-team football experience on loan.

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But Sunderland manager David Moyes has decided he cannot afford to let any squad members go with his already injury-ravaged squad being further depleted this month by the loss of Lamine Kone, (Ivory Coast), Didier Ndong (Gabon) and Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia) to the African Nations Cup.

Robson is seen as another who might follow in the footsteps of recent Academy successes Jordan Pickford and Duncan Watmore, players who have emerged to show genuine star quality at the Stadium of Light this season.

But for the moment, the midfielder is likely to face first-team bench-warming and Development football for the remainder of the season with Moyes’ loan ban also affecting fellow prospects George Honeyman, Joel Asoro, Josh Maja, Tom Beadling and Tommy Robson.