Duncan Watmore

Altrincham

Watmore started his career at Manchester United, but was released at the age of 12. He then joined Trafford club Altrincham at the age of 16. After a spell on loan at Clitheroe, he broke into the first team in August 2012, scoring 14 goals in the 2012–13 season.

Sunderland

On 24 May 2013, Watmore signed for Premier League club Sunderland, for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for the Sunderland first team on 5 January 2014, appearing as a 60th-minute substitute for Ji Dong-won in a 3–1 win against Carlisle United at the Stadium of Light, in the third round of the FA Cup.

On 31 January 2014, Watmore joined Scottish Premiership club Hibernian on loan. His first professional goal came on 15 March 2014, in a 3–1 defeat away to Partick Thistle. Watmore left Hibernian at the end of the 2013–14 season.

On 29 May 2015, Watmore was named the Barclays Under 21 Premier League Player of the Season, after scoring 11 goals in 18 games in the competition.

On 15 August 2015, Watmore made his league debut for Sunderland, coming off the bench to score a late consolation goal with a scuffed volley from outside the penalty area in a 1–3 home loss to Norwich City. Ten days later, he netted Sunderland's fifth goal in a 6–3 win over Exeter City in the Second Round of the League Cup. On 22 November, Watmore signed a new four-year contract with the Black Cats. On 28 November, in a home match against Stoke, Watmore appeared as a first half substitute, replacing the injured Jermain Defoe. He won a series of free kicks by running at the Stoke defenders, resulting in Ryan Shawcross being sent off for two bookable offences against Watmore, and scored Sunderland's second goal in the 2–0 victory. On 16 April 2016 Watmore returned from a 2-month lay off due to an ankle injury as a half time substitute away to Norwich City, and scored the third goal in Sunderland's 0–3 victory, a result which brought the Black Cats to within a point of Norwich in the relegation battle.

On 3 December 2016 Watmore suffered season-ending cruciate knee ligament injury.

International career

On 28 May 2015, Watmore made his debut for England U20s in the Toulon Tournament, where he scored England's second goal in a 3–3 draw with Morocco. On 3 June 2015, Watmore score his second goal on his third appearance, in a 1–2 defeat against Mexico. Watmore was named in the official team of the tournament and was also voted as the revelation of the tournament.

On 25 August 2015, Watmore was called up to the England under-21 squad for the first time. Watmore made his Under 21s debut against the United States under-23s on 3 September 2015 as a second-half substitute, and assisted James Wilson's winning goal.

On 14 November, Watmore netted his first England under-21 goal and assisted two others after coming on as a substitute against Switzerland under-21 in a 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier.

He was part of the team that won the 2016 Toulon Tournament, their first such win for 22 years.

Style of play

In November 2015, Sunderland forward Jermain Defoe likened Watmore to Gareth Bale, his former Tottenham Hotspur teammate, citing a shared ability of ball control.

Personal life

Watmore is the son of Ian Watmore, who was chief executive of the Football Association. He was educated at Cheadle Hulme School. He continued studying for a degree in economics and business management after signing for Sunderland, transferring from Manchester University to Newcastle University. He graduated with a first-class honours degree in 2015, becoming only the second Premier League player to achieve such a qualification, the other being David Wetherall in 1992.

Statistics

¹Includes FA Trophy and play-offs.

Individual

International