Sunderland AFC in no rush to recall Jack Diamond from Harrogate Town loan

While there remains a possibility that the Black Cats could look to exercise their option to bring the on-loan winger back to Wearside this month, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has stated that the League One outfit are in no "rush" to make a decision.

The highly-rated 21-year-old has started each and every one of the 23 matches he has been available for since joining Town on a season-long loan at the end of August, completing the full 90 minutes on 20 occasions while contributing six goals and four assists.

Thus, Sunderland are understood to be happy for Diamond to continue his development at Wetherby Road, but with something of an injury crisis to contend with, they are considering whether they need an extra body to boost their ranks.

"We've been monitoring Jack and Josh [Hawkes] throughout the season and we've probably seen both of them play double-figures games, so we've kept a really close eye on them," Speakman told Chronicle Live.

"It's getting the balance right between whether they come back and be really effective in our group and get those minutes and that experience they need, or are they better off where they are?

"At the present time, if we've got the chance to maybe acquire two players, does Jack come back in behind them? Or is he in front of them? Would we see him play more often or less often?

"It's difficult to make that judgement up front, and we are trying to plan appropriately. But we are not ruling out either leaving them where they are, or bringing them back at some point.

"What we don't want to do is rush into making those decisions when we don't need to rush."

If Diamond were to be recalled at any point, it is not impossible that he could return to Harrogate before the January transfer window slams shut should they manage to recruit additional attacking players.

The Wearsiders brought goalkeeper Anthony Patterson back from his loan with Notts County in November after Lee Burge got injured, leaving them short of cover for Thorben Hoffmann, however Patterson has since been allowed to rejoin the National League Magpies.

Speakman added: "Those two players [Diamond and Hawkes] are not out on loan for any other reason than to try to enhance their development.

"We've just had a situation with Anthony Patterson where we felt we needed to bring him back, but we maintained a really strong dialogue with Notts County and now we felt it was time to let him get back out there."