Jack Ross helped create a modern-day Sunderland legend: View | OneFootball

In the summer of 2018, Sunderland looked to re-build their squad after being relegated to League One.

The club had suffered two consecutive relegations, and new manager Jack Ross moved to strengthen their squad as they looked to win promotion to the Championship at the first time of asking.

They were a club in disarray, so Ross looked to overhaul the squad, and brought in 15 new signings that summer in a bid to freshen things up and ensure there was no hangover from previous seasons amongst his players.

Nearly six years on, a lot has changed at the Stadium of Light, and just one of the club's 2018 summer signings remains at the club.

Luke O'Nien not only remains at the club, but he's Sunderland's captain and is a true success story of Sunderland's 2018 summer overhaul.

Luke O'Nien's time at Sunderland

There's no doubting that Sunderland have had some difficult days since O'Nien's arrival from Wycombe, but the player has proven himself to be a popular figure at the Stadium of Light since 2018 for both his performances on the field, and his off-field conduct.

The Watford academy product has played in a variety of positions at the club, featuring in midfield, at centre-back and at right-back.

O'Nien's first season at the Stadium of Light ended in heartbreak, with the club losing the play-off final to Charlton Athletic in the dying embers, consigning them to another season of League One football.

He'd make 52 appearances in all competitions for Sunderland that season, finding the back of the net five times, and registering seven assists.

He continued to play an important role in the seasons that followed, and another 43 appearances followed in the curtailed 2019/20 season, before a further 45 games during the 2020/21 season.

Unfortunately for O'Nien, the club's League One promotion winning campaign of 2021/22 saw him affected by injuries, but he played the full 90 minutes in all three of the club's play-off games.

He also wore the captain's armband for the first time that season, against Bradford in the EFL Trophy, and Gillingham in a League One fixture.

After four seasons of misery in League One, being part of the Sunderland side that finally won promotion meant a lot to O'Nien, and he was quickly becoming a modern-day Black Cats legend.

The Hemel Hempstead-born player has also had no problem adapting to Championship football, and made 47 appearances for the club last season as they nearly made it back-to-back promotions.

O'Nien is also very popular off the pitch in Sunderland thanks to his interactions with supporters and work in the community. In August 2023, he helped save a dog from drowning on a local beach, only adding to his popularity in the North East.

Jack Ross found a gem in O'Nien, and his time at the Stadium of Light has been far more successful than anyone could have expected.

It's easy to forget that O'Nien is only 28-years-old, so he has plenty of football left in him yet.

As the club captain, and with a contract until the summer of 2026, it's highly likely that Sunderland supporters will get to see O'Nien in action for many years to come.

The biggest endorsement of O'Nien's ability and his influence on the squad is that he's been a regular starter under every single manager the club has had, so there's no reason why that won't be the case again next season when the Black Cats have a new permanent manager.

The 2023/24 season may have fizzled out for Sunderland, but there should be hope at the club that, with a new manager next season, that they'll really be able to kick on and push for the play-offs.

O'Nien is a modern-day Sunderland legend, and helping the club win Premier League promotion in the years to come would be the icing on the cake for the 28-year-old.