Last week, Sunderland announced that Niyah Dunbar would be loaned to Middlesbrough Women for the remainder of the season.
A moves that could shape a young player’s development while strengthening two clubs
simultaneously, it may not dominate national headlines but carries real weight for Dunbar’s growth, Middlesbrough’s ambitions, and Sunderland’s long‑term planning.
This is more than a temporary change of scenery — it’s a strategic step that aligns perfectly with the needs and aspirations of everyone involved.
For Dunbar, the loan represents a chance to accelerate her progression at a crucial stage of her career. At Sunderland, competition for starting spots is intense and consistent minutes are essential for a young player looking to refine her game. Middlesbrough can offer her that platform and the chance to take on responsibilities that might not yet be available to her at Sunderland. This kind of exposure is invaluable for a player still shaping her identity.
The move also places her into a system that suits her strengths.
Middlesbrough’s style rewards energy, directness, and intelligent movement — qualities Dunbar already possesses. Their coaching staff have a strong reputation for nurturing young talent and giving players the freedom to express themselves while guiding them tactically. It’s an environment where she can grow without fear of making mistakes, and where her natural creativity can flourish.
There’s also a leadership element and even as a loan player, Dunbar will be expected to contribute — not only with her technical ability but with her mentality.
Middlesbrough’s squad blends youth and experience, and Dunbar’s competitive edge can help elevate the group. Being relied upon in this way builds confidence and maturity, qualities that will serve her well when she returns to Sunderland.
Middlesbrough Women are in an exciting phase of their development. The club has been steadily rebuilding, strengthening its infrastructure, and setting clear ambitions for the future. Bringing in Dunbar is a sign of intent, by adding a player who aligns with their style, their culture and their long‑term vision.
This season, Middlesbrough have been focusing on establishing themselves as consistent challengers — and they also have a strong track record of integrating loan players effectively.
They provide structure without stifling individuality and maintain close communication with parent clubs to ensure development goals are met. This means Dunbar will be supported, challenged, and given the space to grow; for Sunderland, it means their player is in safe hands.
For Middlesbrough, 2025/2026 has been about establishing a clear identity and building a foundation for long‑term success. The club has made it clear that they want to be more than mid‑table competitors, aiming to push towards the top end of the league, to challenge for promotion, and make deeper runs in cup competitions.
These ambitions are grounded in realism but fuelled by genuine belief, and their recruitment strategy reflects this.
Rather than chasing big names, they’ve focused on players who fit their tactical approach and bring cohesion to the squad. Dunbar’s arrival is a continuation of that philosophy. She is young, hungry, and capable of making an immediate impact while also offering long‑term potential.
Off the pitch, they’ve been investing in youth pathways, coaching development, and community engagement. They want to build sustainably, ensuring that progress is not temporary but part of a broader vision. Dunbar’s loan aligns with this direction, reinforcing the club’s commitment to developing talent and strengthening the region’s football ecosystem.
From Sunderland’s perspective, the loan is a strategic investment in the future.
By sending her to Middlesbrough, they’re giving her the opportunity to gain experience, build confidence, and return as a more complete player. If the loan goes as well as expected, Sunderland will welcome back someone who’s more tactically mature, more physically prepared, and more mentally resilient.
The move also strengthens relationships within the North East football community. Sunderland and Middlesbrough have a history of collaboration, and loan deals like this reinforce that connection, creating a pathway for future development opportunities and helping to build a stronger regional football network.
Most importantly, the decision reflects Sunderland’s long‑term planning. They have confidence in their current squad depth and are willing to prioritise development over short‑term needs. It shows a club thinking beyond the immediate season, focusing on sustainable success and the growth of their young players.
Dunbar’s loan is a move that makes sense from every angle. It’s a chance to grow, play regularly, and take on new challenges. For Middlesbrough, it’s a smart addition that strengthens their ambitions for the 2025/2026 season; for Sunderland, a long‑term investment in a player they clearly believe in.
The North East football scene thrives when clubs support each other, and is a perfect example of that collaborative spirit. Dunbar now has the platform to take the next step in her career, and both clubs stand to benefit from what she becomes.
Emily Cassap’s return to the pitch felt like one of those quietly significant moments that only reveal their full weight with time.
Sunderland have spent the past few seasons building something patient and sustainable, a project defined less by headline signings and more by the steady elevation of young, technically gifted players who fit the club’s identity — and Cassap has long been one of the most intriguing members of that group.
Seeing her step back onto the grass in the FA Cup against Derby County Women, looking calm, assured, and entirely unfazed, was a reminder of just how much potential Sunderland have been nurturing behind the scenes, and how much more there is to come from a player whose ceiling feels remarkably high for her age.
Her game has always carried a certain clarity; a sense of knowing exactly what she wants to do even before the ball arrives. That’s rare in any young footballer, but especially in a midfielder asked to operate in tight spaces and make decisions under pressure. Cassap’s composure is not the sort that comes from slowing the game down — it’s the opposite.
She plays quickly, but never hurriedly.
The ball moves at pace, the ideas move even faster, and yet she retains a stillness, a kind of internal rhythm that allows her to dictate the tempo rather than be dictated to by it.
That blend of calmness and urgency is one of the qualities that makes her such a compelling prospect, and one of the reasons Sunderland have been so eager to reintegrate her after injury.
There’s a technical sharpness to her play that stands out immediately. Cassap receives the ball on the half-turn with the ease of someone who’s been coached to scan constantly, but the execution is entirely her own. Her first touch is purposeful and it often eliminates an opponent before they’ve even realised they’ve been bypassed.
She has a knack of shaping her body in a way that opens up multiple passing lanes, forcing defenders to hesitate, and in that hesitation she finds the space she needs. It’s a small detail, but it’s the sort of detail that separates good midfielders from the ones who eventually become central pillars of a team.
Her vision is perhaps the most exciting part of her game.
Cassap sees passes that others don’t, and more importantly, she attempts them. There’s bravery in that — especially for a young player returning from injury — when the temptation is often to play safe, to ease back into rhythm, yet Cassap has never been that type of footballer.
Against Derby County, she looked like someone who’d been waiting months to express herself again. Her passing range was ambitious without being reckless, and she threaded balls through the lines with the confidence of a player who trusts her technique implicitly. That trust is well placed. Her left foot can disguise angles beautifully, and her right is more than capable of delivering the same level of precision.
Her two-footedness adds a degree of unpredictability that makes her difficult to press, and it’s one of the reasons Sunderland’s coaching staff have been so excited about her long-term development.
What stood out most in her comeback appearance was how naturally she slotted back into the team’s structure.
There was no sense of her being eased in or protected and she didn’t look like a player returning from a layoff; instead, she looked like a player who had never been away. That’s not just a testament to her physical recovery, but to her football intelligence. Cassap reads the game in a way that allows her to anticipate danger before it materialises, and opportunities before they fully form. She positions herself well — not because she’s told to — but because she understands the flow of the match.
That intuitive grasp of space is something that can’t be taught easily, and it’s one of the reasons her ceiling feels so high.
Sunderland have been building a midfield that values technical quality, mobility, and tactical flexibility, and Cassap fits that mould perfectly. She can operate as a deep-lying playmaker, recycling possession and setting the rhythm, but she’s equally comfortable when stepping higher, linking play, and threading passes into the final third.
Her versatility is not a case of being “good enough” in multiple roles — it’s a case of being genuinely impactful wherever she’s deployed. That adaptability will be invaluable as Sunderland continue to evolve, especially in a league where tactical variety is becoming increasingly important.
There’s also a maturity to Cassap’s game that belies her age.
Young players often rely on energy and enthusiasm to make their mark, but Cassap’s influence comes from her decision-making. She knows when to accelerate play and when to slow it down, when to take risks and when to retain possession. That balance is difficult to strike, and it usually only emerges after years of senior football.
For Cassap to possess it already hints at a player who isn’t just talented, but deeply attuned to the demands of her position.
Her injury, while undoubtedly frustrating, may ultimately prove to be a formative chapter in her development. Time away from the pitch can sharpen a player’s perspective, and Cassap returned with the look of someone who’d spent her absence studying the game, refining her understanding and preparing to come back stronger.
The mental resilience required to return from injury is often overlooked, but it is a crucial part of a young player’s growth. Cassap’s ability to step back into competitive football without hesitation speaks volumes about her mentality — the mentality of someone who expects to play at a high level and is determined to reach it.
Sunderland’s long-term ambitions will depend heavily on players like Cassap; those who combine technical quality with tactical intelligence and the willingness to take responsibility. She has the potential to become a pivotal figure in the club’s midfield — not just as a facilitator, but as a leader.
Her style of play naturally draws others into the game, and her presence has a calming effect. As she gains more minutes and continues to build confidence, it’s easy to imagine her becoming one of the central architects of Sunderland’s future.
The FA Cup tie with Derby County was only one example but it was enough to remind supporters of what they’ve been missing.
Cassap’s touches were crisp, her movement assured, and her decision-making sharp. She didn’t look out of place for a second, and that in itself was a victory. For a young player returning from injury, the biggest hurdle is often psychological, to prove to yourself that you can still perform at the level you expect, yet Cassap cleared that hurdle with ease.
Sunderland’s commitment to youth development has become one of the club’s defining strengths, and Cassap is emerging as one of the clearest examples of what that strategy is designed to produce.
The club has invested heavily in creating a pathway that feels coherent rather than hopeful, one where talented young players aren’t simply thrown into senior football but prepared for it with care, detail and a clear identity. Sunderland’s academy and first team environments are closely aligned, allowing players to step up without the usual sense of dislocation.
The emphasis on technical quality, tactical intelligence and adaptability means that when a player like Cassap reaches senior level, she already understands the principles on which the team is built.
It’s a system that rewards players who think quickly, who value possession and are brave enough to take responsibility on the ball. Cassap fits that mould perfectly, and her smooth reintegration after injury is a testament to a development structure that prioritises long-term growth over short-term fixes.
Sunderland aren’t just producing players — they’re producing footballers who can shape games and Cassap is beginning to look like one of the most exciting products of that philosophy.
Comparisons with other emerging midfielders across the women’s game help underline just how distinctive her profile is.
Many young midfielders excel in one particular area: ball-winning, ball carrying, or distribution, but Cassap’s game is built on a rare balance of all three. She has the composure of a deep-lying playmaker, the technical precision of a number eight and the vision of someone who could eventually operate as a creative hub.
Whilst some of her contemporaries rely on physicality or raw athleticism to make an early impact, Cassap’s influence comes from her intelligence and her ability to manipulate space. That places her closer in style to the new generation of midfielders emerging in the WSL and Championship; players who prioritise control, tempo and decision-making.
What sets her apart is how naturally she blends those qualities at such a young age.
She doesn’t just keep the ball moving — she shapes the rhythm of a match. She doesn’t just spot passes; she sees patterns. In a landscape full of promising midfielders, Cassap stands out not because she does one thing exceptionally well, but because she does so many things with a maturity that feels years ahead of schedule.
What comes next for her is perhaps the most exciting part. With consistent minutes, a stable tactical environment, and the trust of her coaches, she has every opportunity to grow into one of the most influential midfielders in the league. Her ceiling isn’t just high; it’s expansive. She has the technical foundation, the vision, the composure, and the intelligence to become a player who shapes matches rather than simply participates in them.
Sunderland have always valued players who embody the club’s ethos of hard work, intelligence, and quiet excellence, and Cassap fits that identity perfectly.
Her return was more than just a boost for the squad — it’s a glimpse into the future, a future where players like Cassap aren’t just contributors, but leaders. Where her calmness on the ball, her ability to see passes others can’t, and her unwavering composure under pressure become defining features of the team’s style — and a future where she’s one of the first names on the teamsheet.
For now, though, it’s enough to simply appreciate her presence on the pitch, playing with the same elegance and assurance that made her such an exciting prospect in the first place.
Sunderland have a gem in Cassap, and her journey is only just beginning. The next chapters promise to be even more compelling and if her comeback performance is any indication, she’s ready to write them with confidence.
