Six more players who made Sunderland returns amid Jordan Henderson transfer links

It already looks set to be the transfer story of the January window. Sunderland continue to be linked with a sensational swoop that would see former midfielder Jordan Henderson return to Wearside, and certain reports would have you believe that the player himself is quite keen on the idea too.

But how have Sunderland tended to fare when it comes to previous reunions? A quick flick back through the history books would suggest that results have been fairly mixed, with some familiar names thriving, and others flopping rather hard. With that in mind, here are six relatively recent examples of players that Henderson would be following if he were to rejoin his former club...

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Jermain Defoe

The most recent, and perhaps the most high profile, example. Defoe’s much-heralded “Last Dance” ended up being more of a clumsy shuffle, in truth, with the veteran striker failing to find the back of the net across seven appearances before hanging up his boots for good less than two months after returning to the Stadium of Light.

Grant Leadbitter

There is a fairly applicable comparison to be made between Leadbitter and Henderson, with both being local lads who rose through the ranks on Wearside before moving away to forge a career elsewhere. When Leadbitter came back, he failed to help the Black Cats escape League One, but he gave a good account of himself regardless, and of course, lifted a Papa John’s Trophy. Who could ever forget?

Stan Varga

After an initial spell on Wearside between 2000 and 2003, Varga left for Celtic before returning to the club three years later. During that second stint, he would spend a couple of seasons under Roy Keane’s guidance, helping the Black Cats to a promotion back to the Premier League.

George McCartney

A product of Sunderland’s youth academy, the Northern Irish full-back was a regular for the Black Cats before leaving for West Ham in 2006. Just two years later, he was back on Wearside, and while his second spell wasn’t quite as impressive as his first, it speaks volumes that the club ultimately came to the conclusion that the best replacement for McCartney was McCartney himself.

Danny Graham

The less said about Graham’s second stint on Wearside, the better. The striker was hardly prolific the first time around, scoring just one goal in 42 outings, and his only strike upon his return came in an EFL Trophy clash with Aston Villa U23s. All in all, 59 appearances, two goals, and not a whole lot to crow about.

Michael Bridges

Bridges initially caught the eye as a precocious teenager in the mid ‘90s, and helped Sunderland to a couple of promotions before being sold to Leeds United. From there, injuries massively impacted his career, and in truth, he wasn’t the same player when he returned to Wearside a few years later. Another promotion would follow in 2005, but ultimately, Bridges represents a real case of what might have been.