Alex Neil is in no rush to make a call on any loan move for Jack Diamond despite reported interest from League One side Fleetwood Town. And in a sign that Diamond looks set to remain on Wearside - for now, at least - Sunderland boss Neil has confirmed that the academy product will be involved in tomorrow night's Carabao Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday.
Diamond has spent two of the last three seasons on loan at Harrogate Town, helping the club win promotion to the EFL for the first time in their history in 2020, and then finishing 19th in League Two last term. But with Sunderland playing Championship football this year, and with Neil keen to strengthen his squad, there is a question mark over just how much game time Diamond will get if he stays with the Black Cats, underlined by the fact that he has not even made the bench in the club's first two league games.
That could open the door to another loan move and Fleetwood have apparently registered their interest, although Neil said recently that decisions over which players might be allowed to leave on loan will depend on exactly which players Sunderland bring in before the transfer deadline at the end of the month. And there seems no immediate prospect of Diamond being sent out again, with the 22-year-old set to feature in some capacity in tomorrow's first round tie against the League One Owls at Hillsborough.
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Asked whether he had made a decision over Diamond as yet, Neil said simply: "Jack will be involved in the game [tomorrow] and that probably answers your question."
Diamond is by no means the only player to have missed out on a place in the squad in the early stages of Sunderland's Championship campaign, with the versatile Carl Winchester and midfielder Jay Matete also notable absentees. But, as Neil has repeatedly explained, he is currently in the fortuitous position of having virtually a fully-fit squad to pick from and that has meant that some players have had to be left out.
Winchester, Matete, and players who have been on the bench as unused subs such as Bailey Wright and new goalkeeper Alex Bass, are all expected to play in the cup tomorrow with Neil keen to build their match-fitness.
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