Callum McFadzean scouting report: Why Phil Parkinson signed him and how he will he fit into Sunderland's team

The 26-year-old put pen to paper on a short term contract that will keep him at the Stadium of Light until the end of the season after allowing his prior deal with Plymouth Argyle to expire over the summer.

The former Sheffield United player will provide specialist cover and competition on the left-side of defence for Denver Hume. But what can supporters expect from the newest addition to Phil Parkinson’s squad?

Promotion expert

McFadzean is no stranger to promotion. The left-back has helped both Bury and Plymouth fight their way out of League Two in consecutive seasons, but has yet to really test himself at a higher level.

Just 15 of his career appearances to date have come in League One, but there are plenty of signs that he is ready to make the step up.

McFadzean played 30 times across all competitions for Argyle last term, scoring five goals and registering three assists.

A versatile talent, he generally operated on the left flank – both as an out-and-out defender and a more advanced wing-back – but also had a run in the heart of defence during the latter stages of the Pilgrims’ promotion push.

That flexibility is likely to make him a valuable covering asset for Parkinson, but judging by his statistics from last season, the former Scotland U21 international has enough quality to do more than just make up the numbers.

Dependable defensively

In a defensive sense, the figures suggest that the new boy may even have the edge on Hume.

McFadzean registered 0.91 more interceptions per 90 minutes than the 22-year-old last term, as well as making 1.63 more ball recoveries too, as per Wyscout.

And those figures are part of a broader general trend. The new man was successful in 9.5% more of his aerial contests, won 15% more of his 50/50s, and completed 27% more of his sliding tackles.

In short, the the 26-year-old looks to be a more dependable defensive option than Hume, although it is worth pointing out that in Parkinson’s preferred 3-5-2 formation, there is just as much emphasis on a full-back being able to get forward as there is on him being able to stifle his opposite number.

What about in attack?

In that regard, Hume still looks to hold a clear advantage. The Wearside academy product bested his new teammate in terms of dribbles completed, crosses delivered, and progressive runs made per 90 minutes last season.

Admittedly, some of that is likely to be a systematic thing. If we compare Hume’s heat map from last term to McFadzean’s, we see that the Sunderland man spent a greater portion of his time in advanced areas of the field.

It’s only natural, therefore, that he has more opportunities to get at his opposite full-back and to put balls into the box. And a lot of that will stem from the way that Parkinson wants his wide players to operate, and also the manner in which the Black Cats approach a game.

Looking at McFadzean’s inferior stats going forward, it’s surely no coincidence that Argyle as a team averaged fewer attacks per 90 minutes than the Wearsiders last season, and in particular, fewer deliveries from wide positions.

Still, taking all of the above into account, you would expect Hume to retain his status as Sunderland’s first choice left-back.

That being said, it’s also clear that McFadzean has something to offer the Black Cats, and in more attritional clashes that require a greater level of defensive solidity, he could be a very decent option.