Luke O’Nien’s quiet jacuzzi gesture to released Sunderland youngster revealed | OneFootball

Former Sunderland goalkeeper Kelechi Chibueze says Luke O’Nien quietly offered support and advice after learning he had been released, approaching him in a jacuzzi.

Chibueze, 22, spent two years on Wearside after time in the academies at Chelsea and Leicester City. He played regularly for Sunderland’s under-21s and trained with the first team before leaving at the end of the 2024-25 season. He has since retired from professional football.

He recalled thinking O’Nien might be about to tell him off for having a phone in the jacuzzi, only for the captain to say he had heard about the release and to share his own experience of being let go by Watford. O’Nien urged him not to be too upset, to keep going and to work hard.

Chibueze said it meant a great deal given O’Nien was leading a side chasing the play-offs and the Premier League, yet still made time for him. He described O’Nien as consistently kind across his two years at the club.

“I started the Premier League season three months after everyone else. I had shoulder surgery, but then I did my rehab in the off-season. Little did I know that the club would spend £150million, £180million on some unbelievably talented players.”

He was speaking on The High Performance Podcast.

“Let’s get back in the squad. Eventually got in the squad, and I sat on the bench, and I just couldn’t get in the team. It wasn’t till December, I think, I made my Premier League debut.”

“I sat in the lake with my feet in the lake for two hours, just let out all my emotions. I threw my boots in the lake.”

Source: Sunderland Echo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”