‘Mr Sunderland’ Signs New Deal With Black Cats

Luke O’Nien has signed a new two year deal with Sunderland, keeping him at the club until 2027. This news comes ahead of the Black Cats first game back in the Premier League after eight years, where they host West Ham United at the Stadium Of Light on Saturday. 

The 30-year-old is delighted to be extending his stay in the North East and is “So happy to be given the chance to create more (memories) by extending my stay”. 

O’Nien is currently Sunderland’s longest serving player. The 30 year old first signed for the club in the summer of 2018 from newly promoted Wycombe Wanderers. Sunderland were preparing for life in League One after suffering back to back relegations from the Premier League and EFL Championship. 

However, he endured a disastrous start to life in the North East. He was subbed off at half time in the opening game of the season at home to Charlton Athletic. The Black Cats were one-nil down at half time, but managed to comeback in the second half to win two-one. O’Nien doesn’t shy away from the poor start which he states “shaped him”.

Slow Start for Luke O’Nien at Sunderland

After a slow start, O’Nien managed to rescue his Sunderland career and is now a fan favourite. He has made more than 300 appearances for the Black Cats, playing in nearly every position possible apart from goalkeeper! It’s this versatility that has made the fan favourite in to one of the first names on the team-sheet every week. 

What the fans love above O’Nien the most, though, is his no-nonsense style of play. The North East citizens love a good tackle, and the 30 year old isn’t afraid to ‘get stuck in’. Just look at his tackle in the 2024 FA Cup clash against local rivals Newcastle, where he crunches Lewis Miley.  The centre back is seen celebrating the tackle after. 

His commitment to improvement has taken him from out of his depth in League One to playing in the Premier League in eight years. If you ask Sunderland fans, no one deserves to step out on to the hallowed turf this season more than him. However, the 30-year-old will have to wait until at least September, as he recovers from a dislocated shoulder sustained in the play-off final win in May. 

What has Luke O’Nien Said on the New Deal?

In an official club statement the player expressed his delight: 

“This is another huge honour for me. I’ve had the pleasure of being part of a
side that has achieved two promotions, and there are so many other memories to recall. I’m so happy to
be given the chance to create more by extending my stay. Everyone knows how much pride I hold in
representing this Club. Our journey to the Premier League is something that will stay with me for the rest of
my life, but the hard work doesn’t stop, and I can’t wait to take on this new challenge. I can’t thank the city
and the Club enough for the way they’ve embraced me and my family. This has been our home for many
years, and there is no other place in the world that we want to be.”

Will the player be able to keep Sunderland up and become the first newly promoted side since 2023 to stay up in the Premier League?