After coming so close last season, Jack Ross’ Sunderland side were amongst the favourites for promotion at the start of the 2019/20 campaign but things have not quite gone to plan so far.

The Black Cats are eighth but just two points shy of the automatic promotion places.

They will likely be hoping that some of their late window recruits can help them climb back up the table.

One of those is left-back Laurens De Bock, who joined on loan on transfer deadline day after a frustrating 18 months at Leeds United.

The Belgian arrived at Elland Road in January 2018 and featured seven times during that term but was deemed excess to requirements by Marcelo Bielsa when he joined last summer and never featured for the Whites under him.

The move to Sunderland represents a chance for De Bock to prove that Leeds and their Argentine coach were wrong to exclude him from their plans.

Here are three reasons why the Stadium of Light can be the perfect place for him to do just that…

He has shown his quality in the past.

De Bock will be the first to admit that things did not go to plan for him at Elland Road but because of what was, in his words, a difficult period it is easy to forget that he arrived with some pedigree.

The left-back made 177 appearances for Belgian top-tier side Club Brugge and helped them to win the league title and the cup twice.

The 26-year-old also developed through the Belgian National age-group sides, including most recently making 12 appearances for the under-21s, and made the bench for the senior side on three occasions.

If he can return to the sort of form he showed during that period, he should prove a success at Sunderland.

It is a fresh start and a step down.

His arrival at the Stadium of Light gives him the chance for a fresh start, which could be just what he needs on a mental level.

As Sunderland are a League One side, it also represents a step down in terms of quality and that may allow him to rediscover his form.

He is joining one of the strongest sides in the division.

Leeds finished 13th the season he featured for them, while KV Oostende finished just two places off the bottom of the Belgian first division when he was on loan there last season.

The Black Cats look likely to be serious promotion contenders this season and will probably be in the ascension in the majority of their games. Playing in a strong side should help him build his confidence and find his form.

If De Bock can play an important role in helping the North East club return to the Championship, then he will surely have proved a few people at Leeds wrong.