Sunderland’s young attacker struggled to make the jump to Championship football.
Following an unsatisfactory 2023/24 season, new Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris will have an uphill task on his hands in getting the best out of his young squad that he has been dealt with.
Le Bris often thrives in such an environment, having a wealth of experience in youth coaching with FC Lorient prior to his two year stint as first team coach, which will certainly be very beneficial for Sunderland’s youthful squad that has the average age of 23.
Although Le Bris will likely recruit some Championship experience ahead of the new campaign, a lot of his trust will fall within the young players that make up the spine of the Black Cats’ side.
However, one young attacker in particular struggled to make an impact at the Stadium of Light, opening up considerations on whether he will be part of Le Bris’ plans for the new season.
Sunderland striker Luis Hemir may need to be loaned out this season
French boss Le Bris will have a decision to make on Sunderland striker Luis Hemir ahead of the 2024/25 Championship season as to whether the former Lorient manager believes he will be able to make a significant impact.
The young Portuguese forward was given 19 substitute appearances in the league in the 2023/24 campaign, as well as being handed four starts, however was unable to find the net once.
The 2003-born attacker has goal scoring ability, as shown from his record in the Benfica youth set up, however may need a step down the leagues in order to return to hot form.
Could Regis Le Bris get the best out of Sunderland youngster Luis Hemir
There were very few positives shown from Hemir’s stint in the Championship, although it could be argued that he wasn’t given the game time to fully prove that he is up to the standard.
Hemir was handed less than 500 minutes of game time in the league in the 2023/24 campaign, often getting less than 10 minutes in matches, at a time when the Sunderland ranks were low on morale.
After a productive pre-season, Le Bris could unlock the Hemir that was seen during his time at Benfica, where he scored 33 goals in 79 appearances.
If pre-season does go positively for the youngster, then a route into the first team under Le Bris’ leadership could be possible, however a loan move to a lower EFL side could be highly beneficial for Hemir, who may need to drop down a couple divisions in order to rediscover his scoring prowess.