Harrison Jones sends classy message to Sunderland as Chris Rigg, Luke O’Nien and Dan Neil react | OneFootball

Harrison Jones has thanked Sunderland after sealing a three-year move to Peterborough United. The 21-year-old ends a 15-year association.

Jones joined Sunderland aged six, came through the Academy of Light and made seven senior appearances. Sunderland Echo understands he has left on a free transfer, with a sell-on clause protecting Sunderland’s interests.

In a farewell posted on Instagram, he said he was delighted to join Peterborough and looked forward to meeting everyone. He thanked Sunderland for shaping him as a player and person, and wished the club well.

Team-mates responded, with Luke O’Nien, Chris Rigg and Trai Hume sending good-luck messages. Dan Neil replied with a red heart emoji.

The switch offers a route to regular senior football after Jones spent last season around Sunderland’s first team and under-21s. He was named on the bench for several Premier League fixtures in 2026, including against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa. It was seen as the right next step for his development.

Jones said the move came quickly and, while leaving after so long was difficult, it felt the right time to play. He called himself a versatile midfielder, credited Sunderland with teaching humility and wanted it done before pre-season to get started.

His departure comes amid wider changes to Sunderland’s academy pathway under Florent Ghisolfi, with the club triggering extensions to protect value in youngsters, including Zak Johnson and Timur Tutierov. John Hewitson has been appointed academy manager, while Graeme Murty is set to leave as under-21s lead coach.

Source: Sunderland Echo