Exciting Sunderland prospect Stephen Wearne has joined National League outfit Torquay United until the end of the season, the Wearsiders have confirmed. 

The recently turned 21-year-old, who operates as an attacking midfielder has predominantly represented the club's U23s this season, appearing seven times in Premier League 2. 

Wearne has also been called up to the first team stage on a few occasions, with the young attacker netting in consecutive games in the EFL Trophy. 

Torquay are not experiencing the same kind go success that they saw last season, with the Gulls sitting in 13th place. 

However, Gary Johnson's side sit eight points from the play-off positions, and considering they have managed to win four out of their last six matches, they will be confident that with the addition of Wearne, that they can trouble the top seven places. 

The verdict 

This is a really exciting opportunity for Wearne, as he has the chance to prove himself in a side that are ambitious and still have every right to consider themselves contenders for the play-offs. 

This may be one of the very few transfer moves where the parent club's manager has sent a player on loan to a side where the man at the helm is the other manager's father. 

This means that Wearne's progress will be monitored very carefully down on the south coast, with Gary Johnson helping Wearne to prepare for football under his son's stewardship.

Possessing all the abilities needed to succeed in the National League, it is now down to Wearne to impress in England's fifth-tier.