Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris has issued a positive update over the future of one Sunderland ace.
Sunderland’s January transfer window promises to be a busy and important time for the club, with them already sanctioning one incoming at this early stage.
Enzo Le Fee has already joined the club on loan from Italian giants Roma, with the Frenchman arriving with a mandatory buy clause if Sunderland achieve promotion to the Premier League.
There is also optimism that Sunderland will bring in an attacker this month as well, with Ben Brereton Diaz and Tom Cannon linked with a move to Wearside.
Aside from incomings, there could potentially be some departures from the Stadium of Light, however, one player that was potentially going to be moved onto pastures new, now looks to have been given a new lease of life by Regis Le Bris.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris makes transfer decision over Leo Hjelde
Black Cats full-back Leo Hjelde has been handed very limited game time so far in the 2024/25 Championship season, playing a total of 12 minutes in the league so far.
However, he shone in the recent FA Cup defeat to Stoke City, where he was given the opportunity to impress in favour of Dennis Cirkin.
Now, with the injury sustained by Aji Alese, the Sunderland boss has suggested that the 21-year-old will likely stay on Wearside for the rest of the season.
Per Sunderland Echo, Le Bris said: “I said before that Leo is always in the training sessions, always involved in the game even if he’s only played three or four times and three or four minutes. He deserved to be on the pitch today, he did well and he’s a good option for us.”
This is a stark contrast to two weeks ago, where the French boss said: “He knows this part of the squad is the strongest at the minute because we have many players and he has to wait. But it’s still possible that the opportunity will come. He knows that. In football sometimes you have to wait and for the staff, the coach, the team and the club this sort of player is very important.
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Leo Hjelde deserves to have opportunity in the Championship and have patience repaid
When it comes to maintaining the confidence of a player, it is very telling of an individual’s mental strength to remain optimistic and determined despite a lack of game time. It is safe to say that Hjelde has proven exactly that.
The Norwegian defender certainly deserves to have his patience that he has displayed repaid and give him the opportunity to fight for the left-back spot with Cirkin.
Whilst what we have seen of Hjelde so far this season has been limited, the Stoke City clash did certainly show his quality, as well as the fact that he is a dependable option for Le Bris, and whilst Alese’s injury was certainly a blow, there is every confidence that the Norwegian will be able to fill that void.