Highly-rated academy prospect Liam Ogunsuyi has left Sunderland after hitting a major milestone last season

Highly-rated Sunderland academy prospect Liam Ogunsuyi has left the club in an unexpected departure.

The Echo understands the young forward is no longer registered with Sunderland, bringing an end to his affiliation with the club’s academy. It is not clear at this stage why Liam Ogunsuyi has moved on or whether there has been interest from elsewhere. The hot prospect was regarded as one of the brightest young talents in Sunderland’s academy system and was named Academy Player of the Year for the 2024-25 campaign.

He was also the youngest player to make an appearance in the U18 Premier League last season, underlining his standing within the Academy of Light set-up and making his departure a notable development. In academy football, deregistration means a player is removed from a club’s official academy registration list. That formally ends the player’s affiliation with the club and allows them to join or trial with another side.

The process can happen for different reasons, including a player or family request, or a club decision not to retain a player, though the reasons here are not public knowledge. For players under the age of 16, the process is governed by youth development rules and usually requires agreement between the club, the player and the player’s parents. Sunderland will be due compensation if the player has been poached by another club, but that information is not yet known. Liam Ogunsuyi is the younger brother of Sunderland forward Trey Ogunsuyi, who is also on the club’s books.

The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.

Trey Ogunsuyi joined Sunderland’s academy at the age of 10 and made his first-team debut in January 2025 as a late substitute in the FA Cup defeat against Stoke City. The 19-year-old has since spent time out on loan. He joined Falkirk in August 2025 before returning to Sunderland in January 2026 and then moving to Shrewsbury Town for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign.

Trey Ogunsuyi scored his first and second professional goals in the same game for Shrewsbury against Chesterfield, helping his loan side to a 3-2 win. Liam Ogunsuyi’s departure is nevertheless an unexpected one, given his impressive 2024-25 campaign and his status as one of the standout players in Sunderland’s younger age groups.

Your next Sunderland read – James Copley’s notebook: David Bruce shows class, dealing with agents, Newcastle dominance and global fans