Sunderland youngster set for loan move to League One leaders Plymouth
Sunderland midfielder Jay Matete is set to join League One leaders Plymouth Argyle on loan, Sunderland Nation understands.
Matete initially impressed after arriving from Fleetwood Town last January, but he has fallen down the pecking order in the Sunderland midfield since then.
Corry Evans and Dan Neil have established themselves as the first choice central midfield duo this season, while Abdoullah Ba and Edouard Michut have also jumped ahead of Matete in the queue.
However, Sunderland are far from ready to give up on the 21-year-old, and it is hoped that a loan spell will help kick-start his development.
Tony Mowbray confirmed on Thursday that Sunderland had loan deals lined up for some of their young player who were not getting enough minutes on Wearside.
He said the ideal would be to wait until Sunderland’s current injury crisis was over, but the relative strength in the Black Cats’ midfield means Matete will be allowed to leave now.
"There's the potential for a couple to go out on loan if we feel that the best thing for them is go out and get some game," said Mowbray.
"If they are not going to get gametime for us, it is probably best they leave on loan and go and play some football. I know we're in some discussions about one or two to go and do that.
"It's just a balance because we are really light on numbers at the moment, so we maybe can't allow this loan to happen or that loan to happen because we have to put a team out on the pitch.
"They can go and get some gametime and then come back and really compete and become first-team players, because if I can't give them enough time it becomes very frustrating for players if they are on the fringes all the time.
“It's no good if they are getting five or ten minutes here and there with us, if they could go elsewhere and play 15 or 20 games."
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