Niall Huggins joins PFA free-agent programme after Sunderland exit | OneFootball

Former Sunderland full-back Niall Huggins has joined the PFA’s free-agent pre-season programme as he looks for a new club ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. According to Sunderland Echo, he is part of the group.

There are 39 free agents involved in the opening week, with Huggins listed among the defenders. The programme helps out-of-contract players maintain fitness, access professional coaching and showcase themselves to clubs and representatives during the summer window.

Huggins left Sunderland this summer after an injury-hit spell on Wearside. The 25-year-old joined from Leeds United in the summer of 2021 and arrived highly rated, but repeated fitness issues disrupted his time at the Stadium of Light.

When fit he showed quality and versatility, able to operate on either side of defence. His standout moment came in 2023-24 when he scored a long-range goal against Watford at the Stadium of Light, later named Sunderland’s Goal of the Season.

Momentum proved hard to build and injuries limited his involvement across several seasons. Sunderland chose not to extend his stay this summer as Florent Ghisolfi continued reshaping the squad and academy pathway.

Huggins now hopes the PFA programme can aid his next move. He is part of a sizeable group training with the organisation, and clubs can register interest in available players.

Source: Sunderland Echo