Grant Leadbitter has finally returned to Sunderland on a two-and-half year deal. Leadbitter said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be back, I’m buzzing. When you’re a born-and-bred Sunderland fan and there’s an opportunity to come back to the football club, well, I was never going to say no I can tell you that. I’m here to do a job and help the club. The football club means a lot to me for sentimental reasons, but I’ve spoken to Jack Ross a lot in the last few days, and I’m excited by his plans. I share his ambitions and I really can’t wait to get going.”
Jack Ross added: “We haven’t brought Grant back for sentimental reasons, he could have easily continued his career in the Championship. Once I started speaking to him, I had a real feel for how desperate he was to come back to Sunderland, and how much he wants to help take the club back to where he feels it belongs. He understands we have a long path ahead of us, but his playing career speaks for itself, and he’s ready to play his part.”
In other news, according to reports north of the border, Lewis Morgan is set to choose a move to Wearside to reunite with Jack Ross ahead of Aberdeen
Sunderland may turn their attentions to League One strikers Tom Eaves (Gillingham) and/or John Marquis (Doncaster) if we fail to agree a deal with Wigan for Will Grigg.
Meanwhile, Josh Maja reckons he chose Bordeaux ahead Premier League because he had more chance of first team footy. Maja said: "I think being an attacker, you have to take risks, I think for me, that’s part of my game, part of who I am to take risks. When I’m successful here people will see that it was the right thing for me to do. Going to the Premier League right now wasn’t the best choice to make. Here I’ll get an opportunity to play and I think if I was to go to the Premier League, I don’t think that would have been guaranteed. Maybe I went on loan somewhere or maybe just in the reserves, so this is the right decision to make. Obviously it’s different, I don’t think anyone expected me to make that step up. The manager said some good things to me and my family, gave the opportunity to come here and play football. So I am excited to be here. I thought it was a good idea. Obviously it’s a big opportunity and I think the sooner, the better. For me the main thing I want to do in my career is to improve and to keep stepping up and coming to Bordeaux will help me do that."
