While the current crop of Sunderland players keep up their own good form, there are some out on loan catching the eye, too.
Sunderland are still flying high in the top six of the Championship, and, say it quietly, there are hopes the Black Cats can even achieve promotion this season.
Regis Le Bris has worked wonders with his young squad, and the Sunderland boss has a clear desire to nurture talent at the club rather than signing new players.
Now, it seems one Sunderland player out on loan this season is making great steps in his own development that could prove useful to the Black Cats down the line.
Nectar Triantis has transformed since move into midfield
Nectar Triantis spent the first half of last season with Sunderland, but the 21-year-old was shipped out on loan North of the border to Hibernian for the second half of the campaign.
He’s back there again this season, and his manager, David Gray, has been waxing lyrical about Triantis’ progress, and how he has learned to adapt to a new role in the team.
Gray told Edinburgh News: “He’s had a couple of tough moments in his Hibs career. One thing he always does is take responsibility, which is great. I think he’s, in the last couple of weeks, shown a level of consistency again. He’s improving all the time, you forget he’s still a young boy, he’s still learning.
“He’s still probably adapting as well at times to a different position, because he’s not played as many games in the middle of the pitch as he has at centre-back in recent years. I think he’s done well in there, and I think it’s definitely where I see him playing.”
| Statistics | Nectar Triantis 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 13 |
| Minutes played | 1,073 |
| Tackles won per 90 | 1.93 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 1.18 |
| Crosses made | 5 |
Gray went on to praise Triantis’ attributes that have helped him settle into the midfield role, adding: “He’s comfortable on the ball, he’s good with both feet. His range of passing is good.
“So, when you look at the physical attributes he’s got, he’s fit enough to get about and covers the ground well, so he’s got all the attributes to be a really good number six, which is what I’ve always thought he would be.”
Versatility could make Triantis an important player for Regis Le Bris next season
The fact Triantis is excelling in this new role can only be good news for Sunderland. In essence, he either returns to the Stadium of Light next season with the ability to play a couple of different positions, or he increases his value and the club sells him in the summer.
Le Bris’ squad is well-balanced as it is, but with injuries already impacting the Black Cats, the need for someone who can cover in defence and in midfield would be a huge boost for the team.
Of course, Triantis’ future will largely depend on how the rest of this season goes, both for himself at Hibs, and for Sunderland in their pursuit of promotion.
If Sunderland can secure promotion, that would mean the likes of Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham probably stay at the club, and Triantis would find it very hard to break into the team, especially at Premier League level.
However, if the Mackems don’t make it back to the top flight this season and big names depart in the summer, Triantis could definitely find himself presented with a big opportunity to step into that midfield next season.