One Sunderland player surplus to requirements is now closing in on his exit from the club.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has been bold with his squad selection decisions since taking over on Wearside, having made several cuts in different positions.
Before the 2024/25 Championship campaign kicking off, it was clear that many players’ short-term future at the club didn’t align with the new boss’s, leading to several temporary and permanent player departures from the Stadium of Light.
Even in the January transfer window, Le Bris followed suit by loaning out attacking duo Adil Aouchiche, who joined fellow Championship side Portsmouth, whilst Nazariy Rusyn moved to Croatian side Hajduk Split.
Despite the January transfer window drawing to its conclusion, Sunderland’s transfer business is still incomplete, with the departure of one castaway edging closer.
Sunderland winger Jewison Bennette reaches advanced talks with Ukrainian side LNZ Cherkasy
Black Cats attacker Jewison Bennette has had a move away from Sunderland on the cards for some time. Bennette’s move to Charlton Athletic fell through in the January transfer window, but there was still a determination by Kristjaan Speakman to move the winger on.
Now, Bennette’s likely departure looks set to come to fruition, with Ukrainian outlet TaToTake reporting on YouTube that a deal for the Costa Rican to move to LNZ Cherkasy is at an advanced stage. The winger is still able to move due to the Ukrainian transfer window being open until next week.
The winger has fallen down the pecking order of the Black Cats’ surplus young attackers since Le Bris joined the club, and it is no surprise to see him set to depart from Wearside.
Regis Le Bris comments meant that the writing was on the wall for Jewison Bennette
There is no doubting that Bennette has raw talent that could have helped him develop into a dependable player at Championship level, however, Le Bris made his feelings clear about the winger, whose only first-team involvement this season has been a nine-minute cameo against Preston North End in the EFL Cup.
Recently, when asked about Bennette and his future at the club, and whether he was in contention to play, Le Bris responded simply by saying ‘no’, and whether he was involved in the decision, he said ‘yes’.
The player clearly hasn’t been handed much of an opportunity under Le Bris, and it has been clear from the start that the likes of Romaine Mundle, Adil Aouchiche and Tommy Watson would be ahead of the Costa Rican in the pecking order.