TONY MOWBRAY has challenged Mason Burstow to use his loan spell at Sunderland as a springboard to the first team at Chelsea.

Burstow joined the Black Cats on a season-long loan last week, and will hope to make his debut for the club when the Championship programme resumes after the international break with a trip to QPR.

The 20-year-old broke into Chelsea’s first-team ranks over the summer, having moved to Stamford Bridge from Charlton in February 2022, and was a substitute in the Blues’ early-season Premier League games against West Ham and Luton.

He was linked with a possible move to Italian giants AC Milan earlier this summer, and was offered loan deals at a number of Championship clubs, but opted to join Sunderland in an attempt to further his career.

Mowbray feels he is at the perfect place to aid his development, and is hoping he will leave the Stadium of Light next summer with a realistic chance of challenging for a place in Chelsea’s starting line-up.

“I know he had some amazing offers, but after our chat, he wanted to come here,” said the Sunderland boss, who has earned a well-deserved reputation for developing and improving young players.

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“I tried to sell this football club, and the biggest selling point is the supporters, I would suggest. What a chance to come and play in an environment that is so Premier League-like.

“There’s 40,000 people in the stadium roaring the team on, so get yourself ready to go and play at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea and be the number nine that bangs in all the goals and put your name next to (Didier) Drogba and all the great players that have played for Chelsea.”

Mowbray admits he had to do some hard negotiating to lure Burstow to Wearside amid so much strong alternative competition.

Being able to point to so many youngsters who have bettered themselves at Sunderland in the last 12 months clearly helped, with Amad Diallo’s loan move from Manchester United last season a clear example of Mowbray working closely with a young player to help take their career to the next level.

Burstow’s first challenge is to establish himself in Sunderland’s starting line-up amid competition from the likes of Luis Hemir, Eliezer Mayenda and Nazariy Rusyn, who was another forward to join the Black Cats in the final week of the transfer window.

The international break will provide all of Sunderland’s new arrivals with an opportunity to settle in, and Mowbray is looking forward to seeing what Burstow can deliver.

“I thanked him for choosing us, and I thanked his mother who was on the call too,” he said. “I think he wanted to do it. I hope he can come and play with the enthusiasm that he seems to have.

“He looks an amazing athlete and great kid. We’re looking forward to getting him on the grass, and hopefully he can snaffle up a few chances that we create as we go along.”