Sunderland have taken an 18-year-old defender from Leeds United on trial. Joe Littlewood has joined the club on a short-term basis and played for the Under-23 side in their defeat to Aston Villa on Monday.
The centre back has largely played in Leeds' Under-18 side and has captained them on occasion. This season he featured only once in the Whites Under-23s, starting in a 2-0 victory over bottom side Derby County.
The move appears to be with a view to Littlewood to making the move to the Stadium of Light on a permanent basis in the summer. He would slot into the Under-23 side, with Sunderland hoping for an improved season in 22/23.
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This season has seen the young Black Cats struggling at the bottom of the division and they sit just a point ahead of bottom club Reading, as it stands. Monday's fixture ended in defeat for Sunderland, as Aston Villa overturned a one goal deficit to come out 3-1 victors.
This condemned Sunderland to their second consecutive loss. Whilst the losing streak is not terminal, they have now gone seven games without a victory.
Alongside Littlewood, Sunderland had two other trialists in the XI that faced Villa. They are expected to step up their recruitment for their Under-23 side over the next few weeks.
Sunderland previously signed Niall Huggins from Leeds' Under-23 side and he looked to be making a bright start at the club before a stress fracture ruled him out for the majority of the season.
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