Salford City fans will love Sunderland loanee Matty Young’s ‘very high expectations’ for 2025/26 season

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Salford City are top-six contenders after signing Sunderland goalkeeper Matty Young on loan for the second consecutive season after his impressive stint in 2024/25.

Salford City finished eighth in League Two last season, and the Ammies are intent on impacting the top-six places in the 2025/26 campaign.

Last season was Salford’s sixth successive season in the fourth tier of English football, and now the club has ambitions to reach League One.

In May, Gary Neville and David Beckham acquired the club with a £15m Salford takeover, in a bid to follow Wrexham into the Championship in the coming seasons.

With promotion the aim for Karl Robinson this season, the loan re-signing of Sunderland starlet Matty Young, who has set lofty expectations for the campaign ahead, will be a massive benefit.

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Sunderland starlet Matty Young sets promotion ‘goal’ for Salford City loan

After making a positive impression on loan at the Ammies last season, Sunderland academy graduate Young has re-joined Robinson’s side.

Salford eyed a move for Young last week, and after the move was announced, the Black Cats prospect revealed why he chose to sign on loan for Salford for the second season in a row.

Young told Salford’s website: “I think knowing what I am capable of and my ability on the pitch, I think there is more expectation now with what I can go and deliver on a matchday.

“I have set very high expectations on myself to go and push on, and to be the best keeper in the league this year.

“I think the lads will be pushing for automatics this year, if not, the play-offs, so that is something that me and the team will be looking forward to, and that is the end goal at the end of the day.”

18-year-old Young featured 20 times in the league for Salford last season, and featured in the 8-0 defeat at Manchester City in the FA Cup.

With Salford boss Robinson previously comparing Young to Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who also rose through the ranks of the Sunderland academy, it highlights that the Ammies have completed one of the best signings in League Two this summer.

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Karl Robinson likened Sunderland starlet Matty Young to Jordan Pickford

Young made a significant impact at Salford last season, becoming Robinson’s number one goalkeeper during the campaign, enjoying a run of six consecutive clean sheets at one point.

The England youth international is considered by Sunderland to be their potential future first-choice goalkeeper, much like his predecessor Jordan Pickford was.

Amid Young’s loan spell, in January, Robinson likened the Salford loanee to the Everton star.

He told ChronicleLive: “His maturity for his age, he’s just way above people of that age.

“He’s so controlling in his processes and the direction he wants to go in. Obviously, he’s coming from a football club that has produced (Jordan) Pickford and currently the goalie (Anthony Patterson) who is doing really well.

“So he knows the flight path for himself, and he’s very, very clear about that.”

Young’s intent to become one of the fourth tier’s best shot-stoppers next season highlights the maturity that Robinson praised, which will be pivotal between the Salford sticks.

Whether the youngster reaches the levels of Pickford remains to be seen.

However, one thing certain is that Salford are now certainly in the frame for a top-six finish in the 2025/26 League Two campaign, after re-signing the Black Cats keeper.