Harrison Jones has thanked Sunderland after completing his Peterborough move, with several Black Cats players responding

Harrison Jones has sent a classy message to Sunderland after completing his move to Peterborough United.

The 21-year-old midfielder has joined Posh on a three-year deal after bringing an end to his long association with the Black Cats. Jones joined Sunderland at the age of six and progressed through the Academy of Light, going on to make seven senior appearances in all competitions.

His departure was confirmed this week, with The Echo understanding that Jones has moved to Peterborough on a free transfer, although Sunderland have protected their position with a sell-on clause attached to the deal. Jones has now posted his own farewell message on Instagram, thanking Sunderland for their role in his development.

“Delighted to join @theposh,” Jones wrote. “Big club and I can’t wait to get started here and meet everyone. “Thank you @sunderlandafc for the last 15 years, making me the player and person I am today, wish you all the very best for the future.”

The post drew responses from several Sunderland players, with former team-mates wishing Jones well as he prepares for the next stage of his career. Luke O’Nien replied: “All the best legend.” Chris Rigg wrote: “Good luck mate.” Trai Hume added: “Good luck.” Dan Neil also responded with a red heart emoji.

Jones’ move gives him the chance to establish himself in regular senior football after spending last season around Sunderland’s first-team squad and under-21s set-up. He was named on the bench for several Premier League fixtures during 2026, including games against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, but a move away has been seen as the right next step for his development.

Jones added on the day the move was completed: “It has all happened quite quickly, but when I heard of the interest, it was definitely something that excited me.“I have been at Sunderland since I was very young, so it was always going to be a difficult decision to leave, but I know that it was the right time to get out and play football.

“I would describe myself as a versatile midfielder, I can play in a number of different roles, at Sunderland you are encouraged to play in different positions. They taught me a lot about humility at Sunderland. I learned a lot from my time there.“There are a lot of big clubs in League One, but we are a big club too, and I can’t wait to get started. It was really important to get things done before pre-season, and now I can look forward to coming in and meeting everyone.”

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Jones’ exit comes amid a wider summer reshaping of Sunderland’s academy and under-21s pathway under Florent Ghisolfi. The club have moved to protect their position on a number of young players this summer, including triggering contract extensions for those who could still move on, such as Zak Johnson and Timur Tutierov.

Sunderland have also appointed John Hewitson as the club’s new academy manager, while Graeme Murty is set to leave his role as under-21s lead coach this summer. Taken together, it points to a period of change at the Academy of Light as Sunderland look to refresh the pathway, protect academy value and give young players clearer routes into senior football - whether that is on Wearside or elsewhere.

Your next Sunderland read – James Copley’s notebook: Tom Burwell and Florent Ghisolfi impressions, pre-season, and why scrutiny matters