Jobe? Regis Le Bris assure The Black Cats of perfect piece that will cover Bellingham spot as Kyril Dreyfus Louis most expensive signing look forward to destroying Preston.
The 18-year-old has been outstanding for the Championship-leading Wearsiders this season, and the absence of the attacking midfielder will be a noticeable loss for Regis Le Bris’ team.
However, the setback is lessened by the news that Chris Rigg will be available for the game against Preston and will likely step in to replace the suspended midfielder.
With Bellingham now facing some time on the sidelines, this could open up an opportunity for Milan Aleksic to make his debut. The Serbian, who signed from Radnicki Nis over the summer, hasn’t played yet for Sunderland but has substantial top-flight experience in Serbia. He may now be ready to showcase his skills in English football.
Many had doubts about whether Bellingham could live up to the expectations at Sunderland, especially with the attention surrounding his brother Jude. However, he has silenced critics with a strong start to the season.
The young midfielder has impressed at the Stadium of Light, and while he prefers not to be compared to his brother, this season has shown that any comparisons are warranted.
Bellingham has justified Premier League interest by controlling the midfield with his strength, power, and technical skill. But after receiving his first career red card against QPR, this will be the first time the Black Cats have had to play without him ahead of a tough matchup against Paul Heckingbottom’s Preston North End.
Rigg seems the obvious choice to take on a more advanced midfield role, with Le Bris confirming that the 17-year-old will be ready to face Preston on Wednesday night.
Speaking to the *Sunderland Echo*, Le Bris expressed his relief at Rigg’s availability: “When we think of a chest issue, it can lead to many concerns, but fortunately, it wasn’t serious, and he trained well this morning, so I’m very pleased.”
“Happy for him and for the team because he’s very important to us.”
While Rigg has excelled in midfield, he brings a different style than Bellingham, and it will be interesting to see how Sunderland adjusts with this personnel change.
Milan Aleksic could also be a useful option for Regis Le Bris and Sunderland.
It’s likely that Rigg will immediately fill the midfield role, but Aleksic might also appeal to Le Bris in the weeks to come. The Serbian became Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ most expensive signing for Sunderland, reportedly costing £3.1m, according to Mozzart Sport. Though he hasn’t yet featured for the club, Aleksic is seen as one for the future. He brings experience from the Serbian top flight with Radnicki Nis, where he made 25 appearances last season, scoring twice and providing seven assists as a teenager.