“I came to Sunderland to advance my career, but Régis Le Bris isn’t putting me in the starting lineup”- One Sunderland player may already be having second thoughts about his decision to join the Stadium of Light due to limited playing time.
One Sunderland player may already be regretting his move to the Stadium of Light due to limited playing time.
During the 2024 summer transfer window, Sunderland made nine signings, including Aaron Connolly on a free transfer. While several new additions have thrived, none have shone as brightly as Wilson Isidor. He scored a stunning volley in Sunderland’s recent victory over Oxford United, helping the team maintain its position at the top of the Championship table. Isidor has now netted four goals in his first nine league appearances and is expected to play a crucial role in their promotion campaign.
Head coach Régis Le Bris recently praised Isidor as an ideal signing, a statement that’s hard to dispute given his impressive form. However, while Isidor and a few others have excelled this season, one player is struggling significantly.
Milan Aleksic, who joined Sunderland from FK Radnicki 1923 this summer, was expected to make a big impact. His £3 million transfer made him Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’s most expensive signing. Despite the hefty fee, manager Le Bris has not given him any playing time in the Championship.
The 19-year-old has remained on the bench for every league match since arriving in England. His only action has been with the under-21 team, where he played 61 minutes in a Premier League 2 match against Everton on September 9th.
Despite being labeled a “phenomenal” talent who “plays like Messi” by a Serbian coach, Aleksic has yet to see league action and may be growing increasingly frustrated. As Sunderland prepares to face Queens Park Rangers this weekend, it seems unlikely he will feature in that match as well.
Aleksic is a versatile central midfielder capable of playing across the middle, but he currently trails behind better-performing players like Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham, and Alan Browne in the lineup. Given Sunderland’s strong form, Le Bris is unlikely to make significant changes to his starting eleven, which means it may be a while before we see Aleksic in Championship action.
