Sunderland boss Jack Ross has explained why more of the club's Under 23 side did not go out on loan this transfer window, as reported by the Chronicle Live.

Ethan Robson and Jack Diamond secured deals with Grimsby and Harrogate respectively, but fewer players than first imagined left the Academy of Light for senior football. Elliott Dickman had envisaged losing more of his young squad during the window.

Ross revealed that a desire for the Under 23 team to be competitive ensured fewer left the club than fans expected.

“It comes away from me for a degree because Elliot (Dickman, Sunderland’s under-23 coach) needs a certain number of players in his under-23 group regularly to fulfil fixtures, to try to perform well and get positive results,” he explained.

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“That needs to balanced with the need for development time etc.”

The demands of the EFL Trophy, a competition that saw Sunderland get to Wembley last season, also influenced the decision to keep some players with the club for now.

“As a club, we also need to be able to fulfil the EFL Trophy games. We will need some of these players for those games. So it’s a balance to strike between (getting players senior football) and making sure you’re not leaving yourself short.”

Jordan Hunter is the other youngster to head out on loan, he joined South Shields early in the transfer window.

The Verdict

Ross has a fair point; a few of his young players featured in the group stages of the EFL Trophy last season and will almost undoubtedly do the same this time out.

Once they're out, if they get knocked out, then senior football opportunities will become rarer, meaning possible loans after Christmas.

The Under 23 side does need to be competitive, if only for those players who do not go out on loan. Again, as the season draws on the desire to develop players may overtake the needs of Dickman and the academy.