Wolves youngster Dion Sanderson ready to motor his way up leagues

Sanderson, from Wednesfield, has been earning rave reviews amid the Black Cats’ push for promotion in League One.

The versatile defender has said he ‘definitely’ sees himself in the Premier League in the future, and hopefully with Wolves.

James Hunter, Sunderland writer for the Newcastle Chronicle since 1999, feels that is a realistic aim, too, having been mightily impressed by the 21-year-old’s displays in recent months.

“He’s been brilliant as of late,” said Hunter.

“It was a bit of a slow start for him and he only started a couple of games in the first half of the season, under Phil Parkinson.

“Wolves were frustrated with his lack of starts, but one of the first things Lee Johnson did when he took over in December was make clear Dion was a big part of his plans.

“He really came into the starting line-up from February onwards, and that’s coincided with Sunderland’s best run of the entire season.

“He’s been absolutely outstanding. They’ve played him in a couple of different positions – right-back and even left-back for a game – but the vast majority has been in central defence.

“He’s played in a two and the middle of a three, and he’s looked excellent.

“Johnson has said he’s a ‘Rolls Royce’ player. He’s good for a snappy quote like that, but most Sunderland fans would agree with that assessment, to be honest with you. He has looked a class apart.”

Sanderson, the nephew of Olympian Tessa, only has one Wolves first-team appearance to his name – at Villa in the Carabao Cup last season.

But he has long been a stand-out of the academy and also enjoyed a productive spell at Cardiff at the back end of last season, mostly playing as a right-back.

Hunter says he has thrived against physical, experienced heads on Wearside as well.

“He’s looked really strong and powerful,” said Hunter. “He still has some growing to do as he’s only 21, but from what I’ve seen, as he matures physically, he could go on to play in the Premier League for Wolves.

“He’s got a good temperament as well. He doesn’t get drawn into niggly little battles with strikers or pick up stupid bookings.

“He’s good enough that he doesn’t have to get involved in those kind of things, that hand-to-hand combat – which there’s plenty of in League One, by the way.

“Speed of thought is everything as you go up the football pyramid, and he reads the game faster than, I would say, 90 per cent of League One centre-halves.

“That’s what will mark him out and why his stay in League One will only be a temporary one.

“He’s certainly good enough to play in the Championship, and probably the Premier League.”

Sanderson’s current Wolves contract expires in the summer of 2022, and a return to Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad in the summer before deciding the next step in his development looks to be on the cards.

He has his sights set on properly breaking through with his ‘boyhood club’ as well.

On what the future could hold for Sanderson, Hunter added: “There comes a point where a young player needs to play men’s football, and he’s certainly been doing that in League One, against wily, old professionals.

“It’s been a great schooling for him. Next season, in an ideal world, he’d want to go back to Wolves and be in and around the first team.

“He has some pretty stiff competition there though, of course, and Wolves will probably want to strengthen further.

“He could go on loan to the Championship and, hopefully, if he helps Sunderland win promotion, he might even end up back there.

“Lee Johnson believes in him. Another season at Sunderland – if in the Championship – could be good for everyone.”