One Sunderland gem could find himself on the back of a January move away from the club after his lack of game time.
The Black Cats will face off against Norwich City, where they will be hoping to pick up a win to send them closer to the summit of the table.
Following that, Sunderland will travel to Blackburn Rovers for the Boxing Day fixture, followed by a trip to Stoke City on the 29th December.
The three games could be decisive for several players within Regis Le Bris’ side in regards to those not quite able to cement a spot in the Frenchman’s starting 11.
The French boss doesn’t often sway from his usual team selections, meaning that some departures in January are as good as confirmed, with it being incredibly unlikely that attacking pair Jewison Bennette and Abdoullah Ba will re-cement their place in the side.
There is another unused Sunderland man who was certainly expected to be utilised more, and if Le Bris doesn’t bring him in soon, then the writing could be on the wall.
- READ MORE: Regis Le Bris on what his ‘main focus’ for Sunderland is after ‘behind the scenes’ assessment
Sunderland ace Milan Aleksic faces decisive three games ahead of January window
Black Cats midfielder Milan Aleksic has been utilised for just 32 minutes so far in the 2024/25 Championship season, meaning that he has been brought on as a substitute on just one occasion, despite being named on the bench a total of 16 times.
It is clear that Le Bris doesn’t have him too high on the current pecking order, and whilst it is clear that he has talents based on his spells at previous clubs, the quality of those ahead of him, including Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg may be enough to guarantee that he will be handed very little game time.
As an exciting prospect at the age-of-19, Aleksic’s development will certainly be hampered due to a lack of game time, and that should be a clear sign that Le Bris must be bold with his decision.
- READ MORE: Key Sunderland stat undermines praise directed towards Regis Le Bris, he has not overachieved at all
Kristjaan Speakman must be proactive in searching for Milan Aleksic loan destination
One of Le Bris’ characteristics that Sunderland fans have certainly become accustomed to is his lack of switching his options around, time-and-time again naming a midfield three of Bellingham, Rigg and Dan Neil.
The Sunderland ace must be aware now that Le Bris is going to be changing his mind anytime soon, therefore Kristjaan Speakman must be wary that further spells out of a side could hamper the young Serbian’s development.
A League One move could be crucial for Aleksic, and could potentially be crucial in preparing him for the 2025/26 season, where he could become a much more prominent figure for Le Bris.