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George Dobson leaves Walsall for Sunderland

George Dobson has left Walsall and joined Sunderland for an undisclosed fee, the club has confirmed.

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The Black Cats first bid for the midfielder earlier this summer – with that offer immediately rejected by the Saddlers board.

But it led to Dobson expressing a desire to leave. And he has now got his wish after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee.

Dobson first joined the Saddlers on loan from West Ham in 2016 when he made 26 appearances.

He then had a brief stint in Holland with Sparta Rotterdam before returning to the Banks's Stadium on a permanent deal.

He went on to become a firm fans favourite in his second spell – with his most memorable moment arriving in April last year when his winner against Northampton to effectively keep the club in League One.

A statement released by Walsall said: "Walsall FC can confirm that midfielder George Dobson has today joined League One side Sunderland for an undisclosed fee.

"The 21-year-old scored two goals in 91 appearances across two spells with the Saddlers, initially joining on loan from West Ham in 2016/17.

"He signed permanently from Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam in January 2018 and scored the goal that all but secured our third-tier status in a 1-0 win over Northampton.

"The former Arsenal youngster captained the Saddlers last term, featuring 44 times in all competitions.

"We would like to thank George for his hard work and dedication during his time with the club and wish him all the best for the future."