The 18-year-old signed a four-year contract at Light Stadium for an undisclosed fee from Costa Rican club Sport Herediano, with Black Cats boss Alex Neil saying he’s single for the future.
Here’s what we know about the player:
What is his past?
Bennett predominantly played as a left winger in the early stages of his career and represented Costa Rica under 15s.
The teenager made his debut for Herediano in August 2021 and registered 35 matches for the club last season.
Bennett also capped six times for Costa Rica and became the country’s youngest player to play in a World Cup qualifier when Los Ticos faced Canada last year.
The winger started for Costa Rica in their 1-0 win over New Zealand in the World Cup playoffs in June, securing their place in this year’s tournament.
What type of player will sign the new Sunderland?
At 5’9″, Bennett is a fast and agile winger who loves to run around defenders with the ball.
Last season, the winger averaged 8.78 dribbles per game with a 60% success rate (according to Wyscout) for Herediano.
He mainly enjoys running down the flank and passing the ball early with his favored left foot.
During the most recent campaign, Bennett averaged 5.09 pass attempts per game while playing in Costa Rica.
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What has been said about the new signing of Sunderland?
Before moving to England, Bennett spoke with compatriot and PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas, as well as Costa Rica head coach Luis Fernando Suarez.
“I also spoke to the manager,” Bennett said before completing his move to Sunderland. “I called him and thanked him for all the opportunities he gave me, the appreciation and the important games that were important to make this dream come true.”
Roy Miller, who played for Costa Rica against England in the 2014 World Cup, also thinks it would be a good move for the teenager.
“This is a good opportunity for Bennett,” Miller said.
“What he showed was good. You can see that he is focused. He has a mentor in the person of his father, who has already played (at a professional level).
“You might think that the English league is physical, with physical players. It remains for him to demonstrate (his abilities), as he demonstrated them with the national team, with his club team.
“Although there are very tall, physical players, this does not mean that everything will be bad for him. I hope he can take advantage of this opportunity.”
What place will Bennett take at Sunderland?
After signing a four-year deal with Sunderland, Bennett will be seen as a long-term asset rather than someone who could move straight to the first team.
Upon the player’s arrival at Wearside, Neal said: “He is a huge talent and an international player. Our model is to identify the best young talents and try to develop them, so it’s very exciting for everyone.
“We need to be patient and give him time to acclimatize in a new country and learn the language – he is certainly ready for the future.”