By his own admission, Mark Sykes played too many positions last season for Oxford United. Right and left-sided forward, winger, central midfielder and right wing-back; he arrived in England as a midfielder but within two years had been turned into a utility man.
Exactly what Nigel Pearson’s plans are for the 24-year-old are unclear and, in truth, probably won’t start to be formed until well into pre-season, potentially even the 2022/23 Championship campaign itself, but that versatility could well be among the major reasons which attracted the City manager to the Northern Irishman.
Pearson loves tactically flexible players, capable of fulfilling numerous responsibilities on the field, in varied positions across different formations, often all within the space of 90 minutes.
