Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil is certain that he can make the move up to the Premier League with the Black Cats after attracting interest from the top tier during the summer.
Neil has been one of the division’s most impressive midfielders this season, and his abilities garnered admiring glances in the summer. Liverpool and Burnley were rumoured to be interested, but the South Shields native stayed put.
He merely signed a new contract in March, which keeps him on the team until the summer of 2026. Now, Neil has stated that his belief in Sunderland’s ability to rise to the Premier League was a major factor in his choice to devote his future to the club.
According to the Sunderland Echo, Neil expressed his desire to play in the Premier League as follows:
“That’s why I signed the deal, I love the philosophy here. Listen I landed on my feet when the philosophy came in because I was an 18-year-old lad kind of on the fringes of the first-team.
“I can’t thank the club enough because I’ve got invaluable experience week in, week out for the last two, three years which included a promotion and almost another one.
“I fully believe in this squad that we’ve got here. I know it looks young on paper but I think we are more than good enough to compete at the top end of the table and hopefully achieve that goal of getting back to the Premier League.”
Headed for the Premier League?
Sunderland have a plethora of talented young players on their books, and midfielder Neil is undoubtedly one of the best. He has a plenty of senior experience despite being only 21 years old, and his constant presence in Tony Mowbray’s side demonstrates how essential he is to the team.
Given his age, it’s unavoidable that a player of his caliber will attract a lot of attention. However, the Black Cats are an ambitious club, and their play-off drive last season demonstrated that, despite their young roster, they are on the rise.
Neil has already established himself as a great star in the north east, and if they are to reach the Premier League, he will almost certainly play a key role.
