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Jewison Bennette hasn't won enough game time at the Stadium of Light and should be looking to secure a January exit.

Sunderland haven't used Jewison Bennette enough during his time at the Stadium of Light since his arrival two years ago.

He joined during the summer of 2022 and was the last signing of Alex Neil's reign, before the Scotsman made the move to Stoke City just a few days later.

Tony Mowbray was appointed as his successor and at that point, it looked as though Bennette had a good chance of thriving with the Black Cats.

Mowbray had a track record of developing young players in the past, with the likes of Tyrhys Dolan and John Buckley establishing themselves as key first-teamers for Blackburn Rovers under his watch.

In fairness to the Black Cats' former boss, he gave Bennette some opportunities to prove his worth, but he wasn't exactly one of the first names on the teamsheet during his first season on Wearside.

And despite his impressive assist in the club's 5-0 hammering of Southampton during the early stages of the 2023/24 campaign, he didn't feature that much and was loaned out to Greek side Aris during the January 2024 window.

Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to establish himself as a key player this season, even with new manager Regis Le Bris coming in.

Sunderland should look to cash in or loan out Jewison Bennette

At 20, Bennette is still someone who could go on and reach a high ceiling.

But having made just 21 appearances in two-and-a-bit seasons for the Black Cats, it's about time he left Wearside and secured a move elsewhere.

A loan move could be good for the Black Cats, because it would allow them to assess him one last time before making a decision on him.

Romaine Mundle may have started the season well and Patrick Roberts is another option, but there could potentially be a place for Bennette in the first-team squad at some point - IF he can shine on loan elsewhere.

However, he didn't make an impact at Aris over in Greece, and for the sake of the player, a permanent move may be a good outcome, with the young winger potentially having the chance to settle down and shine elsewhere if that happens.

The Stadium of Light has been a good place for many youngsters to develop, with Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham thriving there.

But it just hasn't worked out for Bennette, who needs to consider his options - a January move surely needs to be on the cards for him, with his lack of game time in mind.

According to The Tilehurst End, League One side Reading had Bennette lined up as a potential loan addition, on the condition that a takeover went through.

Unfortunately for the Berkshire side, they didn't get their sale over the line in time and it ended up collapsing in the end.

The Costa Rica international would have been a good addition though - because the Royals are still short of quality out wide after Femi Azeez's exit.

With Paul Mukairu also leaving, following the end of his loan spell at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, the loan addition of Chem Campbell isn't enough.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan shone on the left during the early stages of the campaign and Adrian Akande has also done fairly well, but more quality is required in this area.

Azeez was a real asset for much of last term and his departure leaves a big void to fill.

It will be difficult for Campbell to fill that void on his own - and Bennette could have made a real difference in Berkshire.

The latter probably would have won plenty of game time and that would have allowed him to develop.

The step down to the third tier could have also given him the opportunity to impress, so this failed move was a real missed opportunity for both Ruben Selles and the player. Even the Black Cats may have benefitted from this deal.