Sam Smart is on trial at League One Sunderland and has been compared to Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling.
If Sam Smart is hoping to earn himself a contract at Sunderland, the young winger has certainly made a great first impression.
The 20-year-old is on trial on Wearside right now and starred in the 1-0 win against local rivals Middlesbrough in Monday’s U23 clash. Smart even won a penalty in his 60 minutes on the pitch, while terrorising the Boro back line with his speed and dribbling ability.
The Sunderland Echo reports that the Black Cats are yet to make a decision about whether they want to sign Smart, who is currently playing his football with non-league Basingstoke Town.
But what sort of player would Jack Ross be getting if the youngster is snapped up? Well, according to Basingstoke manager Terry Brown, Smart shares a few similarities with a certain Manchester City and England star.
“He’s exactly like Sterling – you’ve got to catch him first,” Brown said. “He’s got electric pace, the same as Raheem; he’s right-footed the same.
“He’s not a ‘face-up’ player, so he’s not going to show up and get kicked from behind. He looks to get off the shoulder and run in behind people.”
How Smart handles the step up from non-league to the third tier of English football, with Sunderland just four points behind Portsmouth at the top of the table, remains to be seen.
But comparisons with Sterling, who cost Manchester City £49 million in 2015 (BBC) and has eight goals to his name already this season, should have Sunderland fans hopeful that they have a real star on their hands.
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