Ex-Hull City man Aaron Connolly told to 'reset the perception of him' after Sunderland transfer

Aaron Connolly “needs an opportunity to re-establish himself and to reset the perception of him as a professional athlete," according to Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman. The Republic of Ireland international, released by Hull City at the end of last season, has penned a one-year deal with the Tigers' Championship rivals.

He could make his Black Cats debut when they travel to Watford this weekend. Speakman said: “Aaron needs an opportunity to re-establish himself and to reset the perception of him as a professional athlete. It wasn’t long ago that he was scoring goals in the Premier League and playing for his national team, but he has suffered some setbacks.

“We all handle challenges differently and when it comes to responding, sometimes we don’t get it right immediately. At Sunderland, he’ll have the environment and support to perform and an opportunity to showcase his ability. It’s an important 17-game period following the next international break and we believe Aaron can add value to our squad during that period. We look forward to helping him settle and supporting him in that process.”

A City reunion looms on the horizon for Connolly, with Sunderland set to visit the MKM Stadium the first match back after the international break on October 19. Connolly, who notched eight goals in 28 Championship appearances for the Tigers last term, said: “I feel very privileged to sign for Sunderland. I have only been up here for a short while, but it’s easy to see what this club means to people and the atmosphere on Saturday showed that.

“I want to represent that in the right way and pay back the faith the club has placed in me by playing well and doing what I love more than anything, which is scoring goals. I’m ready to move forward with my career after facing some challenges in recent times and I fully understand the huge opportunity I have ahead of me.”