Salford City set for Sunderland AFC transfer reunion | OneFootball

Sunderland goalkeeper Matty Young, who impressed on loan at League Two Salford City last season, is due to the return to the Ammies for 2025-26.

18-year-old Sunderland goalkeeper Matty Young, who impressed last season on loan at Salford City, is reportedly set for a second spell with the League Two outfit.

Salford City came close to a play-off place in League Two at the end of last season, but narrowly missed out by just one point.

There have, however, been big changes at the club over the close season, with the news that a consortium fronted by Gary Neville and David Beckham have bought out the Class of 92 owners.

They've already made one big appointment, with the announcement that Gavin Fleig will be joining the club as CEO from the 1st October from the City Football Group, and their attention is now turning to a push to improve upon last season's near-miss.

Sunderland goalkeeper Matty Young to decide on Salford return in the next week

Journalist Alan Nixon reports that Sunderland's teenage goalkeeper Matty Young, who made 20 league appearances for the Ammies in 2024-25, could be set for a return to the Peninsula Stadium for the 2025-26 season.

Nixon states that the Black Cats have given the England youth international the green light to head back to the League Two side on loan once again next season, with Young expected to make his decision over the move in the next week or so.

Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League provides the goalkeeper with something of a dilemma. It could be the case that the lure of the top flight is enough to persuade him to stay at the Stadium of Light and try and push towards the first-team squad.

But Sunderland's willingness to loan him out for a second successive season indicates that the club don't believe he is ready for such a step up yet, and his longer-term career prospects could be improved by continuing to learn his trade at a lower level.

Matty Young impressed at Salford in 2024-25 - his return would be a welcome sight for Ammies supporters

The 2024-25 season was Young's first taste of the senior game at EFL level, having come through the academy at Sunderland before spending a few months on loan with non-league side Darlington in 2024.

His move to Salford City was a major success. He was used in a rotation with the club's other goalkeeper Jamie Jones, making 20 appearances in League Two for them and keeping eight clean sheets.

Young was also in goal for them when they were beaten 8-0 by Manchester City in the FA Cup Third Round in January, but at that time the Salford manager Karl Robinson was keen to praise the young stopper, saying that, "He is simply far above people of that age in terms of maturity for his age."

If Young's trajectory as a goalkeeper is to continue to rise, a return to Salford City, where the ambition is clear following the club's change of ownership, makes perfect sense, giving him another opportunity to prove himself and Sunderland further opportunity to monitor his progress.