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Several Sunderland players are spending time out on loan as the 2025/26 season draws to a close. Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil has admitted his loan spell at Ipswich Town has put a ‘little bit of fire in his belly’ as he looks to help the Tractor Boys join his old club in the Premier League. As it stands, Kieran McKenna’s side are sitting in third place in the table – but that could all change with a win at Charlton Athletic that would lift them into the automatic promotion places and take Neil a step closer to reliving the ‘massively proud moment’ he experienced just under 12 months ago.
Dan Neil said: “As you grow up, you dream of your debut, you dream of your first goal, but you can’t really dream of captaining your boyhood club at Wembley and getting them back to the Premier League. It’s almost out of the realm of possibility. For it to happen was amazing, especially with that group of lads because they were all brilliant, we had a great team spirit. We managed to get the job done and take the club back to where I believe it belongs. It was a massively proud moment. Not getting many chances in the Premier League this season was disappointing, but there’s definitely a little bit of fire in my belly to get back after the way it went at the start of the season.”
The Academy of Light product is not the only Black Cats star out on loan this season, and it would be safe to say there have been somewhat mixed fortunes for the other Sunderland players spending time elsewhere throughout the campaign.
Simon Adingra, who joined Sunderland last summer, moved to Monaco on loan during the January transfer window. The Ivory Coast winger has scored three goals in 13 games for the Ligue 1 outfit and featured in the Champions League play-off round tie against Paris Saint-Germain.
Anthony Patterson, another Academy of Light graduate, joined Millwall on loan in January and reunited with former Black Cats boss Alex Neil. Patterson has managed to keep five clean sheets in 12 games, contributing significantly to Millwall’s unexpected push for Premier League promotion.
Injuries have limited Dutch centre-back Jenson Seelt to just ten appearances for Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, with his most notable moment being a red card in a DFB-Pokal defeat against Holstein Kiel.
Alan Browne has been a consistent performer for Middlesbrough, playing a crucial role in their push for Premier League promotion. His contributions have been lauded by Boro head coach Kim Hellberg.
Nazariy Rusyn, on his second loan spell away from Wearside, joined Polish side Arka Gdynia and has scored four goals in 23 league and cup appearances.
Niall Huggins, on a season-long deal with the Chairboys, has experienced mixed fortunes at Adams Park, making 22 appearances and contributing one goal and two assists.
Portugal youth international Luis Semedo has scored two goals in 17 appearances for Moreirense, although he has been in and out of the starting eleven.
Zak Johnson has been a regular feature in York City’s side, which is pushing for promotion into the EFL. His temporary employers have amassed over 100 points in the National League and face title rivals Rochdale in their final game, needing to avoid defeat to be crowned champions.
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