The Sunderland youngster has been challenged by coaching staff at the Academy of Light after his loan move

Sunderland under-21 boss Graeme Murty has reacted to Dan Cameron’s loan to Hebburn Town - and has issued a challenge to the young stopper.

The Black Cats youth goalkeeper, 19, penned a two-year professional contract at the club last summer and is a player who is highly thought of by staff members at Sunderland. The 6’5’’ goalkeeper has been with Sunderland since the under-10 age group and has trained with the club’s first team on multiple occasions.

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Indeed, with Hebburn Town and Sunderland enjoying a good relationship, the decision was made to send Cameron to the non-league side before evaluating his future upon his return to the club. Cameron started for the Hornets against Prescott Cables in non-league over the weekend before returning to Sunderland to play against Leeds United in the Premier League 2.

“That's just what you're going to have to do,” Murty said when asked about the goalkeeper playing twice in three days. “So we think that the loan is a really important thing for him. So he goes and plays against men and he goes and understands what that challenge looks like.

“But then he needs to come down and still be a somewhat goalkeeper and play the way that we expect and be smooth and be controlling. And he's going to be fatigued. We know that. We're doing it on purpose. Because if he can cope mentally while his body's a little bit sore and he's a little bit tired, and he can still play to a level that we're expecting, that can only benefit him in the long run.”

After Cameron’s loan move to Hebburn Town was complete academy manager Robin Nicholls said: “The loan provides a great opportunity for Dan to gain more experience in senior football. He has had a couple of previous loans lower down the football pyramid, so this option will provide a good test for him and aid his development.”