MK Dons announce signing of midfielder Jay Matete from Sunderland

MK Dons have announced the signing of midfielder Jay Matete, who joins the League 2 club from Sunderland.

The 24-year-old is the Dons’ second signing in as many days, following the arrival of Ben Wiles from Huddersfield that the club confirmed yesterday (08/01).

Matete joins the Dons for an undisclosed fee and has signed a contract of undisclosed length at Stadium MK.

Born in London, the midfielder joined Sunderland in 2022 from Fleetwood Town, making 25 appearances in League One and the Championship for the Black Cats.

He also spent time out on loan, making 45 appearances on loan from Bolton Wanderers last season as well as having prior stints with Plymouth and Oxford.

MK Dons confirmed the deal with signed in time for Matete to potentially feature in their FA Cup tie against Championship side Oxford United later today.

Matete told the official MK Dons website that he was excited to make the move to Stadium MK.

He said, “I want to get MK Dons up through the leagues. There’s a real good project going on here. There’s an ambition at the club, and I’ve got that real good feeling about it. So I just want to be there throughout the whole journey.”

His new boss Paul Warne said he was excited to work with Matete, having attempted to bring him to Milton Keynes in the summer.

He said, “We tried to sign Jay in the summer, but unfortunately, the stars didn’t align!

“He’s a midfielder that can play in many different positions, but I think his best position is a six. I think we need a bit of bite. There are times when I don’t think we’ve had enough of a physical presence or a tackle in the middle of the pitch.

“He can break up attacks, but can also start attacks. He can get box to box. He’s a really good athlete, and he’s got goals in him! I think he’s a really good addition. I know our midfield is a really competitive place as it is, but I just want a different sort of chemistry at times, and he will definitely bring us that.”