Sunderland have slammed Jack Colback for completing his switch to Newcastle United and claim their former midfielder has left a bitter taste after joining their arch-rivals.
The 24-year-old left the Stadium of Light and signed for the Magpies on a free transfer, after rejecting a chance to agree a new contract with the Black Cats. Colback came up through the ranks of Sunderland’s youth setup and has now fulfilled his dream of joining the club he supported as a boy.
“Jack is a player we have nurtured and developed through our academy system since he was eight years old. We gave him the opportunity to become a professional footballer and are therefore extremely disappointed in the events that have led to his departure from the club,” the club said in an official statement.
“This wasn’t about money – the club agreed to all of the terms demanded of us during discussions and we were always led to believe that Jack wanted to stay with us.”
“At his and his representatives’ request, final talks were put on hold until the club secured its top flight status. To our dismay however, we were subsequently never given the chance to negotiate with him to stay.”
“For him to then leave the club that has supported him throughout his formative years in such a manner, with no chance for Sunderland to recover any of the significant investment that it has made in him as a player, has left a bitter taste.”
The manner in which Colback left Sunderland has seen him receive a lot of criticism and one needs to wait for the kind of reception he will get when he returns to the Stadium of Light in away colours.
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