Despite signing in the summer, Salis Abdul Samed’s injury issues meant the midfielder has only just made his debut for Sunderland.
Sunderland fans had big expectations for Salis Abdul Samed when the Ghanaian was signed on loan six months ago, but they’ve had to be patient.
Of all Sunderland’s summer signings, Samed has been one of the most frustrating, through no fault of his own. But, he finally took to the pitch last weekend to show what he’s capable of for the first time.
However, the game against Stoke City ended in defeat and an FA Cup exit, and Samed will be hoping for more from himself on a personal level moving forward.
Salis Abdul Samed needs time to get to the required standard at Sunderland
While there are positives to take from the FA Cup exit, Samed’s debut being one of them in the sense that he needed to get those first minutes under his belt, Regis Le Bris has made no secret of the fact he wants to see a lot more from his midfielder.
Speaking to the press (via club’s official YouTube channel), the Sunderland manager offered his assessment of Samed’s debut and suggested the player has a long way to go to get to where he needs to be.
Le Bris said: “It was clear that he hadn’t played for six months. We enjoyed seeing him on the pitch but, at the same time, when you’re not in rhythm for a long time, it takes time to build up. I think he will need time to get to our level.”
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How does Enzo Le Fee’s arrival impact Samed’s game time?
Of course, Sunderland have already confirmed a new signing this month, with the exciting arrival of Enzo Le Fee on loan from Roma. But, where does that leave Samed?
With Sunderland gunning for promotion, Le Bris will need a lot of depth in his squad to ensure the team maintain their levels in the second half of the campaign.
While the likes of Dan Neil, Chris Rigg, and Jobe Bellingham are the foundations of the Sunderland midfield, and Le Fee offers a new element to that, having someone like Samed will also be incredibly useful when Le Bris needs something different.
Sunderland’s midfield is full of options now, giving Le Bris a welcome selection headache. Samed and Le Fee should even allow the Black Cats’ younger stars the chance to flourish further up the field, and that new dynamic could be key moving forward.