Exclusive:Sunderland nearing double contract boost as highly-rated duo close in on new deals under Kristjaan Speakman
The highly-rated Sunderland duo are closing in on new deals at the club following impressive campaigns
Sunderland are closing in on a double contract breakthrough, with promising academy talents Jaydon Jones and Jack Whittaker expected to sign their first professional deals with the club this summer.
The duo, both 18 and currently on second-year scholarship terms, have impressed across the 2024–25 campaign and are now set to be rewarded with new contracts that will see them step into the next stage of the club’s development pathway under academy manager Robin Nicholls and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman.
Jaydon Jones, in particular, has enjoyed a standout season, culminating in being named Sunderland’s Under-18 Player of the Season. His eye-catching displays have not gone unnoticed, earning him a deserved promotion to Graeme Murty’s under-21 side, where he continued to impress with a string of mature, confident performances.
Jaydon Jones featured 15 times for the under-21s across the regular and play-off phases of the Premier League 2 campaign, scoring three goals and providing one assist. That included 10 league appearances and additional outings in the FA Youth Cup and Premier League 2 Cup. In total, the versatile midfielder racked up 30 matches across all competitions for the academy sides, registering eight goal contributions and clocking over 2,000 minutes on the pitch during the 2024–25 season.
The Echo reported earlier this month that Sunderland had moved to secure Jaydon Jones’ future, and we can now reveal that talks are progressing positively, with an agreement believed to be close. Encouragingly for the club, the same applies to his teammate Jack Whittaker, who has also made significant strides this season and is in line for a professional deal.
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Whittaker featured 12 times for Sunderland’s under-18s in 2024–25, scoring four goals and providing four assists in a productive campaign. His form earned him further opportunities at under-21 level, where he made nine appearances in Premier League 2, including both the regular and play-off stages. The attacker also featured in the FA Youth Cup and Premier League 2 Cup, amassing a total of 1,898 minutes across all academy competitions this season.
Jaydon Jones is following in the footsteps of his older brother, Harrison Jones, who captains the Under-21 side when not involved with Régis Le Bris’ first team. Harrison Jones was also recognised at the club’s end-of-season awards, picking up the Under-21 Player of the Season award, completing a remarkable family double at the Academy of Light. Harrison Jones was also on the bench as Sunderland’s first team won promotion to the Premier League at Wembley against Sheffield United earlier this month.
What has Graeme Murty said about Jaydon and Harrison Jones?
When asked about the brothers earlier this season, Sunderland under-21s’ lead coach Graeme Murty said: “If you keep working hard, you keep pushing, you reap the rewards. I think that's all the way through our academy. I think we need to make sure that we re-emphasise that, that there's no replacement really for hard work, but it needs to be allied to a purpose, it needs to be allied to a method, and those two are a really good example of vastly different athletes, vastly different players, still reaping the benefit of individualisation in our programme.
“And we're really keen to stress that, that you have to take time with these young people, you have to look at the longer journey, the bigger picture for them, and realise that they might not be ready yet, but they're moving towards something that could be really good. So while they're moving on their journey, can we emphasise the right lessons at the right time for them?
“And I think that those two getting into the team at the same time has been a benefit for Harrison because he has to be a leader, and we want to see different things from him. And Jaydon, one of the younger ones, so he now is coming into a group where he's not dominant, he's learning his place, and I think the blend and the mix within the group is really, really nice - and those two kind of encapsulate it.”
What has Jaydon Jones said about his time at Sunderland?
Speaking back in January, Sunderland youngster Jaydon Jones expressed his delight at stepping up from the under-18s to the under-21s, describing the move as a key milestone in his development after scoring against Leicester City’s youth side.
He said following the game: “We are very happy, and I'm thrilled to score a goal and contribute to the win, but it was an excellent team performance. Although he didn't get a goal or assist, Trey (Ogunsuyi) led the line really well, so I think he deserves a lot of credit.
“It's always good to win two games on the bounce, and hopefully, that means we can go on and win a few more in a row,” he added. “The group's full of leaders all over the pitch, which helps everyone, rather than just one voice leading it all. I think everyone is inputting in their own way, and even tonight, we had quite a young side, so that was even more beneficial. I think everyone talking on the pitch has helped us throughout the season.”