Fans will absolutely love what Trai Hume said about new Sunderland arrival
Sunderland have started this season in mixed fashion, earning three points from their first two Premier League games.
New signings have heavily featured in both top-flight matches as Sunderland look to become the first promoted side to avoid relegation since every team managed to do so in the 2022/23 season.
Sunderland have spent over £100million on 12 players, blending in a good mix of exciting youngsters and experienced players to give them the best hopes of survival.
Trai Hume, who has been a regular at the club for four years, has spoken about one signing in particular that has impressed him and one that could even potentially impact his own game time.
Hume believes Nordi Mukiele signing will help his personal development
Following the defeat 2-0 to Burnley, Hume replied confidently when asked whether the signing of Mukiele will be a positive thing for his own growth.
In quotes reported by the Sunderland Echo, Hume said: “Yes, 100 per cent. I think all the players we’ve brought in, whether it’s the experienced ones, the older heads or even the younger lads, I think we’ve brought in real quality.
“We’ve just got to gel together and keep going and keep playing games. We’ll get used to each other and hopefully that’ll just keep getting better and better.”
Sunderland fans should be quite pleased with Hume’s comments as Mukiele’s arrival could potentially minimise Hume’s playing time.
Hume’s comments show that he is more than willing to put the team first; a trait that the Northern Ireland international has shown since his arrival in 2022.
However, it is expected that Hume will likely play alongside Mukiele, with the Frenchman in line to play at centre-back, especially given Dan Ballard’s groin injury at Sunderland.
Mukiele joined Sunderland for a fee of £9.5million from Paris Saint-Germain, with the deal including £2.5m of add-ons.
Mukiele has a hugely impressive CV despite only being 27, having featured in knockout Champions League games predominantly for PSG and Leipzig.
- Montpellier (2017-2018)
- RB Leipzig (2018-2022)
- Paris Saint-Germain (2022-2024)
- Bayer Leverkusen (2024-2025 – loan)
Despite not being fully fit at the start of the season, there is optimism that the 27-year-old defender could feature in the EFL Cup clash against Huddersfield Town.
Read more: Expert reveals what Barcelona think about Marc Guiu despite slow Sunderland start
Regis Le Bris keen to bring in more defensive solidity
Le Bris has already placed plenty of faith and trust into his summer signings, with four of the new arrivals playing every minute of the season so far.
| New signing | Minutes played |
| Reinildo | 180 |
| Robin Roefs | 180 |
| Noah Sadiki | 180 |
| Granit Xhaka | 180 |
| Habib Diarra | 169 |
| Chemsdine Talbi | 151 |
| Simon Adringra | 137 |
| Omar Alderete | 128 |
| Enzo Le Fee | 43 |
| Marc Guiu | 11 |
| Arthur Masuaku | 0 |
| Nordi Mukiele | 0 |
Mukiele clearly improves the standard of Sunderland’s defence, which conceded a lot more goals (44) than fellow promoted sides Leeds (30) and Burnley (16).
He seems set to join his fellow arrivals in playing a large bulk of minutes when available, although one potential cause for concern is his injury record.
He has not appeared in more than 20 league games since his final season at RB Leipzig in 2021/22.
As a result, the Mackems show no sign of slowing down, and Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi is on the verge of becoming a Sunderland player.
The left-footed centre-back has enjoyed three successful seasons in Italy, helping Bologna secure Champions League qualification and end their 51-year trophy wait.
He would provide brilliant competition to fellow new recruit Omar Alderete and ensure that Sunderland are prepared for any more defensive injuries.
With Axel Disasi also being heavily linked with the club, Sunderland fans should be excited that Le Bris is working hard to ensure the team is in the best possible place to compete with the Premier League’s elite.
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