Rangers, the newly-crowned Scottish champions, are already working on an array of deals to bolster the squad for the upcoming campaign. But they must make a decision on their fringe stars including Jordan Jones who bid farewell to Sunderland after a promising winter loan.
The misery continues for the Black Cats though as they have again failed to script a return to Championship football. The defeat against Lincoln City in the playoff semifinal led to yet another heartbreak, but the supporters are more patient and optimistic this time around following French billionaire Kyril-Louis Dreyfus’ successful takeover earlier this year from Stewart Donald.
Jones joined the Gers a couple of summers ago on a Bosman move upon expiration of his Kilmarnock contract. However, he found his game-time limited for the Glasgow giants and eventually completed a loan move to Sunderland to attain more minutes down the flank. He soon made an impact with his directness and played a key role in their playoff run with 3 league goals and 4 assists in 20 appearances.
Meanwhile, a mass exodus is set to take place at the Stadium of Light and the new owner is eyeing a squad overhaul to accelerate their promotion push. Jones’ move won’t be made permanent either as the winger left a brief yet heartfelt note on Twitter.
Good luck to @SunderlandAFC for the future. A massive club which I loved playing for. Thank you for the opportunity and a big thank you to the fans for all the love and support since I arrived. I look forward to seeing the club where it belongs in the future. Thankyou❤️? pic.twitter.com/gpdkzjxwdW
— Jordan Jones (@JJordanjones11) May 28, 2021
Kyril-Louis Dreyfus thanked him for his contribution and sent regards for future endeavors amid fans’ plea to secure Jones’ services in the summer window (in the player’s Instagram post).
What’s Next For Jones?
Rangers have a decision to make over whether to retain Jones or find a new suitor. He was suspended by the club last year for breaching COVID-19 protocols, whereas the arrival of Scott Wright from Aberdeen has sent him further down the pecking order. Moreover, the Bears have roped in Fashion Sakala to inject more firepower in the attacking third and are likely to add a few more names before the 2021-22 season kicks off.
Brandon Barker, too, holds identical League One stats with Oxford United. Glenn Middleton had his moments at St. Johnstone, however, none of them seems to have done enough to stake a claim in Steven Gerrard’s plan who is now focusing on the prestigious Champions League qualifiers. Considering all these, it seems like a wise move for both parties to let go of each other in search of greener pastures.
