'Tough ask' - Sunderland figure delivers interesting midfielder verdict amid transfer speculation
The midfielder has been the subject of some transfer speculation during the winter window
Graeme Murty is pleased with the progress of Sunderland under-21s captain Harrison Jones.
The homegrown forward made his senior debut off the bench against Preston North End in the Carabao Cup at the beginning of the season, then making his full debut against Stoke City in the FA Cup at the Stadium of Light in January under Règis Le Bris.
Jones recently put pen to paper on a new deal that will run until 2026, with an option for the Black Cats to extend his stay by a further year. Jones first joined the Academy of Light at the age of six. It is understood that the 19-year-old’s camp would like the player to experience regular senior men’s football soon, possibly in the National League. Murty, however, believes Jones is doing well where he is. The midfielder started and captained the under-21s against Benfica B in the Premier League International Cup this week.
“I think he's getting a fantastic experience where he is right now,” Murty said when asked about the possibility of Jones moving on loan. “As you said, he's doing well for us. He's in and around the first team all the time. He's on the bench. I think that he's in possibly the best club in the country that nurtures young talent at this level.
“He can definitely see that pathway moving through. I know he's in a competition and it's a really good learning part for him that he has to go and be better than his opposition every single day in training. But if he's not, they're going to tell him because they're more mature and he's going to get a real understanding.
“I need to take myself to a place where I'm better daily than those people in front of him. That's a tough ask for a young man, especially one that's only just into the group. But when you see Harrison train, when you get the feedback from the first team, he's really tenacious. He's going after it as hard as he possibly can and I think he's maximising his opportunity and he's maximising and thriving in that challenge.”