Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson has spoken about Ethan Robson’s immediate future at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson has shed some light on Ethan Robson’s future with the Black Cats (Chronicle Live).
The 23-year-old returned to the Stadium of Light this month after spending the first half of the season on loan at Grimsby Town.
Robson, who came through the ranks at Sunderland, is out of contract in the summer and has made a positive impression on Parkinson in training.
While arrival of Josh Scowen has increased the competition for places in central midfield further, Parkinson revealed that Robson was deployed at left wing-back during a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Academy of Light last weekend.
Sunderland are currently light in that area and Parkinson tested Robson out in that position in an attempt to see whether he could offer cover for Denver Hume – indeed, he played well and even got on the scoresheet.
Depending on whether the Black Cats can recruit another wing-back, this could see Robson either stay put at the Stadium of Light as cover, or allowed to leave the club on loan once again.
“Ethan is with us at the moment and we looked at him at left wingback in training on Saturday because he has played wide left in his career,” Parkinson told Chronicle Live. “And he did really well in the wingback role and scored a goal.
“A few clubs have asked about taking him on loan, obviously Grimsby are one of those and there have been a couple of others. We have that thing where he wants to go and play, but equally we can only let that happen if we are confident we have the cover.”
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