Sunderland supporters would have been forgiven for watching Sam Greenwood score for Leeds United last weekend and feel somewhat aggrieved. The former Academy of Light trainee left Wearside for a reported fee of £500,000 at the tender age of 16 to join Arsenal.
He would join the Whites after just one year in London and the England youth international has gone from strength to strength since making the reported £1.5 million move to Thorp Arch in 2020. Greenwood was a striker coming through the ranks earlier in his career, but has dropped into a deeper role under the tutelage of Jesse Marsch.
The goal against the Cherries is the latest feather in his cap after outgrowing the Under-21s set-up a year early. Greenwood is among a few former Sunderland academy prospects to leave Wearside and begin to make a name for themselves.
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Bali Mumba would leave Wearside to join Norwich City, a move that would leave red and white supporters reeling, while Joe Hugill and Logan Pye would join Manchester United from the Black Cats. In part, some of those departures are understandable with the club dropping down to League One, making it a difficult task keeping hold of their best prospects.
However, since Louis-Dreyfus' arrival on Wearside, there has been no sign of any youngsters leaving the club who are highly thought of. Anthony Patterson has gone on to establish himself as Sunderland number one and Dan Neil has been a regular feature in the first-team over the past two seasons.
The French owner outlined five strategic themes he wanted to implement at the club following the takeover. Creating an opportunity for young players through a holistic development programme, was on of those.
The club has stayed true to that early plan and this summer's transfer business, dipping into the European talent pool for the likes of Edouard Michut and Abdoullah Ba a prime example. One look at the Premier League 2 Division 2 table would suggest the Black Cats still have some way to go until they're able to produce players of Premier League calibre - like Greenwood at Leeds United.
However, the progress of Greenwood would suggest that Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman are right to look at young investment as a suitable way to grow the club. In time, Sunderland should be able to reap the rewards.
Nonetheless, they may soon be tested. 15-year-old Chris Rigg is the latest youngster making a name for himself on Wearside.
Fierce rivals Newcastle United are reportedly keen on signing the England youth international, who has been playing above his age groups at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats are doing all they can to keep Rigg at the Academy of Light, giving him important game time in Sunderland's Under-21s set-up.
Greenwood's seven-figure move to Elland Road two years ago is a benchmark for Sunderland to keep an eye on, if they are forced to part ways with Rigg. It's always difficult to put a price tag on a player who is still so young, but has so much potential.
One thing that's clear, Sunderland will not fall into the trap like previous owners did in selling their brightest upcoming stars.
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