As Sunderland continue to go from strength to strength, Regis Le Bris’ ability to get every single ounce of potential from a largely youthful squad continues to confound the cynics.
The bubble will burst, they say. A team with a central core of kids surely cannot keep punching above their weight for much longer. And maybe, in the end, the doubters will be proved correct.
But for now, Sunderland beating Luton Town 2-1 while extending their lead over Burnley to three points, the Black Cats continue to land on their feet.
No team in the Championship has more points, more wins, or more goals.
And in Wilson Isidor, scorer of three goals in only five league starts so far, Sunderland might finally have found the Ross Stewart replacement they have been looking for since the Scotland international moved to Southampton in the summer of 2023.
Agent happy to see Wilson Isidor bounce back at Sunderland
Dmitry Cheltsov, an agent and close confidante of Sunderland’s number 18, is delighted to see Isidor put a miserable spell at Zenit St Petersburg behind him.
The Frenchman reunited with his former Rennes youth coach Le Bris after a nightmare 2023/24 season at the Russian giants. And, with three goals to his name, Isidor is already one shy of matching his entire tally from 27 Zenit appearances.
“I know the man personally. We are constantly in touch. We communicate almost every day,” Cheltsov tells Championat. “I feel bad for him.
“Yes, the period at Zenit was bad. He scored few goals. But everyone knows that, and I am ready to kill myself for my players. And if someone does not understand this, then who cares!”
Zenit paid £5 million to sign Isidor back after a far more productive spell at Lokomotiv Moscow.
And Cheltsov was relieved to see that the Russian champions green light his move to Sunderland in double quick fashion, explaining that the negotiations took only 48 hours to develop.
Zenit St Petersburg did not stand in Isidor’s way
“[I like to work with clubs] who work quickly and accurately. Zenit worked quickly with Isidor,” Cheltsov adds. “They responded to the player in two days. Other clubs can drag their feet for a long time.
“It is difficult with teams where the decision-making is unclear. It seems like you agree with the person who holds the relevant position, and then someone else changes their mind. Such things happen in Europe too.
“Let’s say [Napoli boss Antonio] Conte wants [Romelu] Lukaku, but the sporting director doesn’t. We also see confrontations within clubs.”
Sunderland will have the option to sign Wilson Isidor permanently in 2025.
Whether they do or not depends largely on whether the 23-year-old can maintain his impressive start to life on Wearside, Isidor running 80 yards before cooly lifting a superb winner into the Hull City net during last weekend’s 1-0 win away to Tim Walter’s side.
“We thought, at the beginning, that he could be a left winger. But it is clear now that he could be a good striker as well,” Le Bris said after Isidor opened his Sunderland account during the 2-0 win over Derby County at the start of October.
“He is still involved in the game.
“And, I think, game after game, he create more links with his teammates, and they can [better] understand his runs, the way he can receive the ball. I think he is becoming better, especially during crosses.”