Confirmed: Sunderland midfielder signs fresh long-term contract on Wearside
Sunderland U21s captain Harrison Jones has signed a new contract on Wearside.
Sunderland midfielder Harrison Jones has signed a fresh contract extension at the Stadium of Light, the club have confirmed.
As first reported by The Echo over the weekend, the U21s captain has 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 included. Jones first joined the Academy of Light at the age of six, and made his first team debut in a Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of Preston North End earlier this season. The 19-year-old has featured a further nine times on the bench for Regis Le Bris’ senior side, while also registering one goal and four assists across eight Premier League 2 appearances this term.
Addressing the announcement of his new contract with Sunderland, Jones said: “I am delighted to sign this new deal. This is my boyhood club and I can’t thank the staff and my teammates enough for their continuous support. Making my debut was a really proud moment but I know the hard work doesn’t stop so I can continue reaching those levels.”
Black Cats Academy Manager, Robin Nicholls added: “We are delighted to agree terms on a new contract with Harrison. He is an excellent young man with a bright future in football ahead of him. We retain a firm belief in his ability to progress and make an impact on our first team here at the club.
“Since returning from a significant injury that kept him sidelined for an extended period, his application and progression have impressed all the staff, and he has become a role model for all of the players in our Academy.”
The Echo also understands that having signed a fresh contract, Jones will continue to work with Le Bris’ first team during the busy festive period before potentially heading out on loan during the January transfer window. It is understood that Sunderland are keen for the starlet to gain senior minutes, but believe first team opportunities may be hard to come by for the time being, with Dan Neil, Chris Rigg, and Jobe Bellingham all ahead of him in the pecking order, Salis Abdul Samed and Alan Browne expected to return from injury in the relatively near future, and summer signing Milan Aleksic also an option in the centre of midfield.
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