HULL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Chris Rigg of Sunderland reacts during the Sky Bet Championship match between Hull City AFC and Sunderland AFC at MKM Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Hull, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Regis Le Bris Sunderland plans for Salis Abdul Samed & Ahmed Abdullahi.
REGIS LE BRIS expects Salis Abdul Samed to be able to make an instant impact on Sunderland’s first team once he has completed his recovery from injury.
However, the Black Cats boss admits another summer signing, Ahmed Abdullahi, could take much longer to make an impression on the first team.
Both Samed, a combative central midfielder, and Abdullahi, a centre-forward, have been sidelined ever since moving to Wearside in the summer.
SUBSCRIBE to The Northern Echo – read the paper on our brand-new app, access premium website content, remove adverts and join our exclusive members-only rewards club
As a 19-time Ghana international, with more than 100 appearances in Ligue 1 under his belt, 24-year-old Samed should be capable of slotting straight into Le Bris’ first-team plans once he has completed his recovery from a muscular injury, which is anticipated to be sometime next month.
Abdullahi should also be able to return to training at around the same time, but as a 20-year-old who has made 38 of his 40 senior appearances in the Belgian third tier, the Nigerian is likely to need much longer to settle into his new surrounds and get used to the demands of the Championship.
“For Salis, we know what he can do,” said Le Bris. “We are waiting for his best fitness, but once he gets to that level, his experience means he could probably be ready to help the squad very quickly. I don’t exactly when that will be – hopefully, maybe mid-December, something like that.
‘I won’t be doing that’ – Regis Le Bris’ big Sunderland call over Wilson Isidor
Key Sunderland player ruled out of Sheff Utd game as Regis Le Bris ponders his options
“For Ahmed, it is different because he is a much younger player. The right pattern with Ahmed should probably be that he will need time, although you never quite know, sometimes players can surprise you.
“I think he is talented, and he has many qualities as a striker. But we are still waiting for his first minute in a training session because so far, he didn’t train at all with us. That means it is much harder to know what level he will be at or how much time he might need
With Romaine Mundle, Ian Poveda and Jenson Seelt also due to return in the next month-and-a-half, Le Bris is hoping his options will have increased significantly by the time the January transfer window is in full swing.
“If all these players are fit, we should be okay after the next month,” he said. “It will help us a lot with the options we can have on the bench, but we have to wait.”
