It is the news all Sunderland fans have been refreshing Twitter, Facebook and the official Sunderland website for: Lee Cattermole has signe...
It is the news all Sunderland fans have been refreshing Twitter, Facebook and the official Sunderland website for: Lee Cattermole has signed a contract extension to stay at the Stadium of Light.
The fantastic announcement sees our leader signing a deal that keeps him on Wearside until 2021.
Six more years of seeing Cattermole dominate midfields against the Premier league elite players, like he has started to do on a regular basis, is a brilliant signing for Dick Advocaat and Lee Congerton – and this news will be one to celebrate for all the fans who adore Lee and his style of play for Sunderland.
Cattermole is often ignored by the media, and Roy Hodgson, but his form over the past two seasons has been nothing short of incredible.
The way he managed to keep Sunderland in the Premier league two seasons ago during the ‘miracle’ escape was just one of a thousand reasons why he is loved by the club at every level.
Another fact that the media and FA ignore over Lee Cattermole is how he has changed his attitude on the pitch and has only received two red cards, one after the full time whistle, in the past four seasons. Everyone when they hear his name automatically thinks back to his wild challenges and poor disciplinary record but the actual truth is that he has matured and realised when to make crucial tackles and not lose his temper regularly.
To see Cattermole, who is only three games away from making 150 appearances for Sunderland, sign a contract for five years is a massive relief, especially as Stoke were inches away from signing him a couple of transfer windows ago, and his commitment to the club is a massive statement from the midfield general that shows he wants to drag the club higher up the league over the next few campaigns.
Sunderland have been linked today by Sky Sports to Nicolas Lombaerts from Zenit and Jeremain Lens from Dynamo Kiev for a combined fee of £14m and possibly Cattermole has seen the ambition being shown by Ellis Short in order to push Sunderland away from another relegation battle in the 2015/16 season.
One thing for certain is that no matter who we sign in the summer, the news that Cattermole will be running the show, tied down to a long-term deal, will be the best signing we see as we see his career progress at the Stadium of Light.
