Regis Le Bris’ on Liverpool links with Sunderland’s Trey Ogunsuyi.
REGIS Le Bris believes Trey Ogunsuyi should shun any transfer interest from Premier League leaders Liverpool, with Sunderland’s head coach telling the teenage striker he’s in the right place to continue his impressive development.
Ogunsuyi is enjoying a breakthrough season on Wearside and has been in sparkling form in the youth ranks.
The teenager’s form for the Under-18s and Under-21s has led to a first team call-up, with the striker an unused substitute in three Championship games so far this season.But his prolific goal record has also sparked interest from elsewhere, with Liverpool this week strongly linked with the Belgian youngster.
The top flight club are said to have sent senior scouting delegations to watch Ogunsuyi on a number of occasions over the course of the last 18 months and regard the teenager as one of the brightest prospects in the country.
But that’s why Le Bris thinks Ogunsuyi is best off where he is now. Sunderland have a glowing reputation for their handling of young talent, with Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham and Tommy Watson having all come through the ranks to establish themselves in the first team fold on Wearside.
All three players have made huge forward strides over the course of the last 12 months.
“He’s very young and probably Riggy, Tommy and Jobe are the best examples to follow in our club,” said Le Bris.
“When you move to another club with a very strong squad you have to find the right environment to develop yourself.
“I don’t know. Social media and so on can talk a lot but at the end if we create the right environment and the player, his family and agents are rational, we are in a good place to create the right pathway for him.”
Earlier this season Le Bris described Ogunsuyi as a “very interesting player for the future”. The fact the striker has already featured in matchday squads this season shows he’s impressed the head coach. Ogunsuyi regularly trains with the first team, giving Le Bris the opportunity to monitor the youngster closely.
With Eliezer Mayenda currently covering on the flank for the injured Watson and Romaine Mundle and Sunderland facing five games in 16 days, there’s the possibility of Ogunsuyi being involved in the next fortnight, but Le Bris said: “I don’t know really. It’s a question of opportunities.
“He’s been in training sessions so now we know each other and he knows the group.
“Sometimes you have to wait, sometimes it could happen after two or three games. He’s close to the group.”
Ogunsuyi signed a new contract at the start of this year, which Sunderland described as a “long-term deal”. He’s understood to be tied down to the summer of 2026.
