Exclusive:Sunderland hand trial to highly-rated 18-year-old goalkeeper ahead of summer transfer decision

Sunderland have taken another young player on trial at the Academy of Light this week, The Echo understands.

The Black Cats recently handed a chance to Crystal Palace full-back Freddie Cowin, with the defender playing 90 minutes of Sunderland under-18s’ 6-1 over Liverpool in the league last week. But there is now a new name to watch: young Lincoln City goalkeeper Isaac Allan.

Allan, originally from the Isle of Man, has made steady progress through the ranks at the LNER Stadium after joining the club as a scholar. Now in his third year with the Imps, the shot-stopper has already caught the eye of staff at Lincoln City and has even been included in the Imps’ senior squad in EFL games on occasion for the club.

His path to Lincoln was anything but conventional. With limited professional football infrastructure on the Isle of Man, Allan sought opportunities elsewhere, attending UK Football Trials to showcase his abilities. His performances there attracted interest from several clubs, including trial spells with both Lincoln and Sheffield United. It was the Imps who ultimately offered him a pathway into the professional game.

Since joining the academy setup, Allan has been a regular in Lincoln’s U18 side, featuring prominently in successive FA Youth Cup campaigns. As previously mentioned, his development has also seen him step closer to first-team involvement, with the goalkeeper named on the bench for two League One matches during the 2024/25 season, including a fixture against Bristol Rovers.

However, Allan has now been invited to Sunderland for a trial and is currently forming part of Fin Lynch and Jordan Moore’s under-18 group ahead of their game against Wolves on Tuesday at 11am. The goalkeeper will likely be offered professional terms at Lincoln City but appears to be keeping his options open in the vent of interest from clubs higher up the food chain.

Sunderland also hand trial to Crystal Palace youngster

Sunderland have handed a trial to Crystal Palace defender Freddie Cowin, The Echo understands.

Born in 2007, Cowin is a left-back who has quietly impressed through the youth ranks at Selhurst Park. After joining the club’s academy setup. The defender was handed a scholarship ahead of the 2023-24 season—a clear indication of the high hopes the club had for him.

Cowin made his under-18 debut in November 2023, coming off the bench in a 5–2 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Since then, he has grown in stature, featuring 17 times during the 2023-24 campaign and chipping in with one assist.

During the 2024-25 season, Cowin has recorded four assists in his first five games for the under-18s. Cowin has also stepped up to the club’s under-21s previously, making an appearance in a friendly against Dulwich Hamlet and playing above his age group.

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Cowin was handed a trial for Sunderland as the Black Cats’ under-18s thrashed Liverpool 6-1 at the Academy of Light on Saturday afternoon. Former Reds striker Marcus Neill was the star of the show, bagging a brilliant hat-trick against his old club to take his tally to 11 goals for the season.

The young Black Cats were relentless, with Tom Proctor, Liam Hunt and Aaron Chungh all finding the net in a dominant performance. Liverpool briefly threatened a fightback when Joshua Junior Sonni-Lambie pulled one back on the hour mark, but their hopes were dashed when Joe Upton received a second yellow card late on, reducing the visitors to ten men. Cowin started the game for Sunderland and played the full 90 minutes.

Sunderland under-18s are back in action on Tuesday morning as they travel to face Wolves in the Premier League U18 competition, with kick-off set for 11am.

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