Sunderland have completed the signing of former Burnley striker Will Harris, who will now link up with Elliot Dickman's under-23 side.

The Black Cats' academy teams had a disastrous 2019/20 campaign which saw both the under-18 and under-23 sides fail to record a single victory in their respective divisions.

Following such poor performances, Paul Reid left his role as academy manager, prompting speculation over the future of the Wearside club’s Tier 1 academy status, which was further amplified after several players left the academy setup.

Three new faces arrived last month to bolster Dickman’s under-23 squad in the shape of Sam Wilding, Bobby Beaumont and Vinnie Steels, whilst Kenton Richardson also signed.

With those additions coming in to Sunderland's youth ranks, a fifth arrival has now been confirmed to add further depth and strength to the squad. Harris has put pen to paper on a one-year deal with Sunderland after leaving Burnley last month when his contract expired.

The 19-year-old striker joins the Black Cats after three years with the Clarets which included loan spells with non-league sides Colne FC and Warrington Town.

Upon his arrival at the Academy of Light, Harris said: “Being a local lad, it’s a dream come true to sign a contract with Sunderland. I’m delighted to be here, and I can’t wait to get started.”

This latest addition to Dickman's squad will bolster his options ahead of the new season and, after a wretched 2019/20 campaign at underage level, things drastically needs to improve.

Hopefully the arrival of Harris should see some progress in the right direction, allied with the other new faces in the under-23 ranks.

Are you pleased with the signings Sunderland are making to improve the under-23 squad? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below...