One Sunderland loanee has had an upturn in fortune whilst playing in Ligue 1.
The Black Cats currently find themselves in 4th position in the Championship league table, with the January transfer window looming.
At this moment in time, Sunderland are looking rather light for options, particularly in the attacking front due to the current absences of Romaine Mundle and Tommy Watson, with the latter set to be out for two months after limping off in the 1-1 draw with Bristol City.
Sunderland are also struggling for depth at the back, with Luke O’Nien often having to plug the gaps in the backline wherever he can. The short options at the back result from the departures made in the summer, including Timothee Pembele, however his recent loan spell may have potentially rejuvenated his career.
Timothee Pembele may be Championship ready after loan spell away from Sunderland
Sunderland decided to loan out French right-back Pembele after notching just eight appearances in the 2023/24 Championship campaign, starting on just three different occasions at the back end of season.
He missed the large majority of the season due to a knee injury sustained at the start of the 2023/24 season that kept him out of action for a long period of time, and by the start of the 2024/25 Championship campaign, he was deemed not quite up to Championship level by Regis Le Bris, who decided to loan out the 22-year-old.
This season, he has managed to tie down a spot in the Le Havre starting 11 on six occasions, with all of those falling in the side’s previous seven Ligue 1 games, and Pembele has been able to slot in at right-back, as well as on the wing and at centre-back, three positions that Sunderland currently find themselves starved from.
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Timothee Pembele successful loan could give Regis Le Bris headache next summer
Whilst Pembele was regarded as ‘shaky’ during his limited game time under Le Bris, which fell in the side’s pre-season, he has somewhat got his career back on track having out together a run of starting Ligue 1 games.
The French defender will likely be good enough for Championship football if he continues being utilised in the French top flight, and that could potentially provide Le Bris with an upcoming selection headache at the start of the 2025/26 season, if they don’t find themselves promoted.
For a player with bags of potential, it is great to see that he is finally being utilised, and there will be plenty of hopes that he can recreate his performances when he returns to Wearside.