# Dion Sanderson

Dion Dannie Leonard Sanderson (born 15 December 1999) is an English footballer who plays as a defender for EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers on loan from EFL League One club Birmingham City. He began his career as a youngster with Wolverhampton Wanderers and later spent time on loan at Cardiff City, Sunderland, Birmingham City (two spells) and Queens Park Rangers, before leaving for Birmingham City in 2023.

## Career
### Wolverhampton Wanderers and loan spells

Sanderson joined Wolverhampton Wanderers' academy as an eight-year-old, signed his first professional contract in 2018, and a year later signed a two-year contract with a 12-month option. He was a member of the senior squad for their pre-season tour of China, where he played in the club's Premier League Asia Trophy Final victory over Manchester City. He made his competitive debut on 30 October 2019 in an EFL Cup tie against Aston Villa.
Sanderson joined EFL Championship club Cardiff City on 31 January 2020 on loan to the end of the season.

#### Sunderland (loan)

After Sanderson's contract with Wolves was extended until 2022, he joined League One club Sunderland in October 2020 on a season-long loan. He scored his first goal for Sunderland, and his first professional goal, in a 2–0 win against Rochdale on 6 March 2021. He was cup-tied for Sunderland's victory in the 2021 EFL Trophy Final.
Near the end of April, Sanderson was ruled out for the rest of the season due to a back injury, so missed out on Sunderland's unsuccessful play-off campaign. He was voted as Sunderland's Supporters' Young Player of the Year.

#### Birmingham City (loan)

Sanderson signed a new four-year deal with Wolves before joining Championship club Birmingham City on 19 July 2021 on a season-long loan. He made his first-team debut for Birmingham in the EFL Cup second-round match at home to Fulham. Starting in a three-man defence alongside the experienced George Friend and fellow debutant Mitch Roberts, he played for 73 minutes before being replaced by another newcomer, Alfie Chang. He made his first league appearance on 18 September in a 3–0 defeat away to Peterborough United, replacing the injured Marc Roberts at half-time with the score 2–0, and established himself as a regular member of the starting eleven. However, on 4 January 2022, with several Wolves defenders injured or away on international duty, Sanderson was recalled on 4 January 2022.

#### Queens Park Rangers (loan)

Sanderson joined another Championship club, Queens Park Rangers, on 25 January 2022 on loan for the remainder of the season. He made 12 appearances, all but one in league competition.

#### Birmingham City (second loan)

Sanderson rejoined Championship club Birmingham City on 5 July 2022 on a season-long loan. As he did during his previous loan, he started regularly, and was described in the Birmingham Mail's mid-season assessment as "a classy presence on the right side of the back three", more athletic but less physically dominant than Marc Roberts or Harlee Dean when played centrally. By February 2023, he was struggling both with a back injury and the need to avoid a tenth yellow card and resultant two-match ban. He remained on nine cards, but after 33 starts and one goal, he returned to Wolves for treatment to his back. Despite being initially ruled out for the season, he was able to start and score a late volleyed goal in Birmingham's final fixture, a 2–1 defeat at home to already promoted Sheffield United.

### Birmingham City

After lengthy negotiations, Sanderson joined Birmingham City on a four-year contract on 15 July 2023; the fee was undisclosed. He was appointed captain.

#### Blackburn Rovers (loan)

On 10 January 2025, Sanderson joined Championship club Blackburn Rovers on a loan deal until the end of the season, reuniting with former manager John Eustace for the third time in his career.

## Personal life

He is a nephew of the 1984 Olympic javelin gold medallist Tessa Sanderson.
In April 2024, Sanderson was charged with drink-driving.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 12 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | EFL Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2019–20 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | 2019–20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | 2020–21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | Total | Total | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Cardiff City (loan) | 2019–20 | Championship | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Sunderland (loan) | 2020–21 | League One | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| Birmingham City (loan) | 2021–22 | Championship | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| Queens Park Rangers (loan) | 2021–22 | Championship | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Birmingham City (loan) | 2022–23 | Championship | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | —|— | —|— | 34 | 2 |
| Birmingham City | 2023–24 | Championship | 37 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | —|— | —|— | 40 | 1 |
| Birmingham City | 2024–25 | League One | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Birmingham City | Total | Total | 71 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 81 | 3 |
| Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 2024–25 | Championship | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 141 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 160 | 4 |
* 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy