Manager reacts after securing transfer agreement for Sunderland player | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher has revealed his happiness at completing the loan signing of Sunderland midfielder Jay Matete.

Having joined Sunderland from Fleetwood back in the 2022 January transfer window, Matete helped the Black Cats win promotion from League One to the Championship in the second half of last season.

However, the 21-year-old has found game time harder to come by during the current campaign, featuring just eight times in the Championship.

As a result, the midfielder now finds himself back in a third-tier promotion battle, having joined League One leaders Plymouth on loan until the end of the season.

Now it seems as though that is a deal that Schumacher has been left hugely pleased to have completed in the January window.

Giving his reaction to the signing of Matete to the club’s official website, the Plymouth boss said: “I am delighted that Jay Matete has agreed to join us at Plymouth Argyle.

“He is another young, talented and hungry player added to the squad that will strengthen our chances to stay at the top end of this division.

“Jay’s performance data from last season was outstanding, which led Sunderland to pay a big fee and take him from Fleetwood Town.

“He then gained invaluable experience of competing at the top of end of League One to eventually gain a promotion to the Championship.

“We hope that Jay can bring his quality to Argyle and add some extra bite and aggressiveness to our midfield area.”

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There are still three-and-a-half years remaining on Matete’s contract with Sunderland, securing his future at the club until the end of the 2025/26 season.

The Verdict

This does look like being a very good signing for Plymouth to have completed.

There does seem to be a feeling that Matete deserved to get more chances to show what he can do in the Championship with Sunderland this season.

As a result, he should once again be able to make a significant impact in League One, especially given the confidence he has there after winning promotion from that level just a matter of months ago.

With that in mind, the 21-year-old could be a major asset to Plymouth in this promotion race, so it does feel like something of a coup for them to have completed this signing.