Desperate Regis Le Bris revisit failed transfer talk of Striker with 25 goals with regret reveal Player would have been brilliant add up to the Black Cats new season tempo.
Sunderland’s failure to sign an experienced centre-forward during the summer transfer window has once again highlighted their lack of options in the ‘number nine’ role.
Ahmed Abdullahi, a deadline-day signing from Gent, is sidelined for three months following groin surgery. Nazariy Rusyn, who is expected to be on the bench for today’s game against Plymouth, was almost sold before the transfer window closed, but no acceptable bids were made.
This leaves 18-year-old Mayenda as the main striker, and while he’s had a promising start to the season, scoring twice in the win over Sheffield Wednesday, head coach Regis Le Bris is cautious about placing too much pressure on the young forward, who struggled for playing time during a loan spell at Hibernian last season.
Le Bris hopes to spread the goal-scoring responsibility across the team, relying on contributions from players like Jobe Bellingham, Patrick Roberts, Romaine Mundle, and Chris Rigg.
“The role of the striker can be redefined,” said Le Bris. “It’s not just one player’s responsibility to score. The left winger, right winger, and attacking midfielders must also contribute. Many teams have won major trophies by sharing goals. For example, in 1998, France won the World Cup without their main striker, Stephane Guivarc’h, scoring a single goal. The others stepped up, and that could be how we approach things here.
“Mayenda has a big responsibility, but we shouldn’t expect too much. He’s still young, and while I hope he’ll score 20 or 25 goals, it’s possible that won’t happen. But Jobe, Riggy, Browney, and Patrick can all score, and that’s the plan—to spread the burden.”
Le Bris has been impressed with Mayenda’s progress since pre-season, noting that the young Spanish forward is becoming more comfortable leading the line in the Championship, although there’s room for improvement in his finishing.
“He’s a player with high potential, and when you give these types of players the right opportunities, they can develop quickly,” added Le Bris. “The growth can be unstable at times because of their age, but if that happens, we’ll find solutions with Rusyn or Wilson Isidor, who offer different strengths. We have a lot of options right now.”