Dan Neil has revealed what he said to Sunderland defender Niall Huggins following his latest injury.
Niall Huggins joined Sunderland from Leeds United in 2021, however he only made five league appearances prior to this season.
It wasn’t long after his free transfer to Wearside that he developed a stress fracture in his back, which kept him out for four to five months before the problems spread throughout his body and left him out for the majority of the next two years.
Huggins, on the other hand, made his return this season, taking advantage of Dennis Cirkin’s injury and truly impressing on the left side of defense.
The 23-year-old looked ready to keep his place in the Sunderland team, but he was forced to be stretchered off in the 3-0 loss to Coventry City last month.
Huggins will now miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery, adding to his long list of injuries since joining the club.
Dan Neil has now spoken about his teammate’s latest injury and revealed what he told him after he was forced off at the Stadium of Light.
Neil told the Sunderland Echo, “I texted him the night after the injury, and that’s a real bitter pill to swallow.”
“I think he was frustrated last year, and we were frustrated because we wanted him back in the squad and he was picking up niggles here, there, and everywhere.”
“I thought for the last two or three months, where he’s been playing week in and week out, he’s been up there as one of our best players.” I believed he added a different dimension to the squad at that full-back position and was simply excellent.
“As a team, we’re devastated for him. We just need to get around him and hope he comes back. ‘Listen, you’ve been through the stages of recovery before and come out better,’ I remarked. You’re going to be better this time.”
How long will Niall Huggins be a Sunderland player?
Left-back is one of Sunderland’s best positions, with Niall Huggins, Dennis Cirkin, and Aji Alese all proving to be outstanding players in the Championship.
However, they have all suffered from injuries since transferring to Wearside, with the latter presently occupying the role after missing the majority of 2023.
Huggins was reportedly in talks with Sunderland about a new contract prior to his injury, and hopefully we can keep our word on that.
The Leeds United academy product was fantastic in the first half of the season and deserves a second chance when he returns.
