One Sunderland summer signing will struggle to cement his place in the side following the recent signing of Enzo Le Fee.
Sunderland have already made massive strides in the January transfer window to strengthen their squad to prepare for the second half of the Championship campaign with the loan signing of Enzo Le Fee.
The French midfielder has arrived with an obligation to buy if Sunderland achieve promotion to the Premier League, and the deal is a real sign of ambition from Kristjaan Speakman in signing a player that has previously thrived under Regis Le Bris at FC Lorient.
One thing that can be guaranteed following his arrival is the fact that he will be one of the first names on the teamsheet, which will give Le Bris a selection headache over who to drop for the Frenchman.
As well as the selection troubles that will arise, there is one Sunderland summer signing that will truly be worried about his game time following the recent arrival.
Sunderland midfielder Alan Browne will have doubts over game time following Enzo Le Fee signing
The Black Cats have plenty of strength and depth in the centre-of-the-park, something that is ultimately going to lead to some players being handed less game time than initially expected at the start of the season.
For example, one player that may be overlooked following the arrival of Le Fee is Sunderland’s Alan Browne, who signed for the club in the summer transfer window.
The former Preston North End man has managed 12 appearances in the Championship, but currently finds himself out of action due to a leg fracture, with his estimated return date being in eight weeks.
However, it is unlikely that the Irishman’s return from injury will be met with minutes in the Championship due to the fact that Le Fee and Neil will be ahead of Browne in the pecking order for the defensive-midfield spot, whilst the further advanced roles are taken by Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg, and potentially Milan Aleksic now after his performance vs Stoke City.
Alan Browne will still offer something crucial to Black Cats side despite limited game time
Whilst it will be difficult for Browne to not have a guarantee of sufficient game time when he returns from his lengthy injury, there is no doubt that he will remain a key component in the squad assembled by Le Bris.
The experience that the Irish midfielder has will continue to be crucial in regards to the promotion push, even when he is not on the grass. Having a leader such as him in-and-around the club goes far beyond what he offers in games, and there is no doubt that he will be crucial in helping to mentor the younger ranks.
The likes of Rigg and Bellingham for example will massively benefit from having Browne in the side, and they will no doubt learn a lot from him, even if he isn’t being utilised by Le Bris once he returns from injury.