The popular loanee has confirmed that he will not be returning to the club this summer

Lutsharel Geertruida has confirmed he will not be returning to Sunderland this season and said his loan spell at the club is something he will ‘always be proud of’.

Sunderland opted not to trigger their option-to-buy clause earlier this summer and though negotiations continued with the RB Leipzig loanee, the club ultimately opted to bring in free agent Thomas Meunier on a two-year contract. It was widely thought that Meunier’s arrival would end the club’s interest in Geertruida and the 26-year-old has confirmed that in a post on his social media channels.

Geertruida thanked supporters and everyone connected with the club for their support during his season-long loan, and said that he wished the club ‘nothing but the very best’ moving forward.

“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to represent Sunderland this past season,” he said.

“Making my Premier League debut at such a special club is something I’ll always be proud of, and being part of such a historic season makes it even more memorable.

“A big thank you to my team mates, the staff and everyone connected to the club for support throughout the year. I’ve enjoyed every moment, both on and off the pitch. I wish everyone at Sunderland nothing but the very best for the future. Thank you and good luck.”

Geertruida made 30 appearances across all competitions for the club last season and though he did not always start on a regular basis, he was a key part of the team that finished the season in fine form and ultimately secured a place in the Europa League next season.

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.

What Régis Le Bris said about Thomas Meunier’s arrival

Speaking last Saturday, Sunderland head coach said the club thought highly of Geertruida but had to consider the ‘whole package’ when making a decision this summer. It was understood that the clause to sign the defender was in the region of £17,000,000.

“Last season we worked on this right side with different profiles; Lucha was one of these profiles,” Le Bris said.

“We had to decide this summer about the full package because we like the player but it's not only about technical football qualities, it's a full package. We had an opportunity with Thomas, which is more or less the same profile. He can play inside as a third centre-back, probably. He can play as a full back, he can play as a wing-back. So we'll have this ability to manage different positions and different roles on the right side."

Your next Sunderland read: What we learned from Sunderland's US tour squad announcement