Elliot Embleton is earning rave reviews for his performances at Blackpool - with Lee Johnson saying it has fully justified his decision to let the youngster spend the second half of the season with the Seasiders.
Academy product Embleton was a surprise departure on deadline day when he moved to fellow League One side Blackpool, just when it seemed he had overcome the injury problems that had held him back in the first half of the campaign and he was ready to join the Black Cats' promotion push.
But Johnson decided he could not offer the 21-year-old regular starts, and he would rather loan him out to a club where he would get more first-team minutes.
However Sunderland also demonstrated that Embleton was part of their long-term plans by extending his contract until the end of next season before allowing him to move to Bloomfield Road.
Since joining Blackpool, Embleton has been praised by manager Neil Critchley, with the Seasiders' boss saying this week that he was 'quietly confident that he could play a big part'.
And Embleton had a double reason to celebrate on Tuesday night when he helped Blackpool to a 3-1 win against Sunderland's promotion rivals Peterborough United.
Johnson said of Embleton's progress at Blackpool: "It's pleased me - it's exactly why we let him go there.
"We couldn't offer him as many minutes between January and the end of the season as we would have liked, then it was best for him to go and get those at a good club, playing the right way, and also taking points off our rivals as well.
"I've been in contact with Elliot and he is really enjoying it. [Blackpool director] Ben Mansford was my old CEO at Barnsley so we're in contact as well, and of course we have got Blackpool to play twice so I'm quite pleased that Elliot won't be available in those two games because he's on loan."
