Jamie Carragher once slammed ‘poor’ Sunderland signing as Regis Le Bris sent warning
Regis Le Bris could benefit from heeding what Jamie Carragher stated about Sunderland’s new signing.
The Black Cats have made strong advances in the market this summer as part of their plan to remain in the Premier League after next season.
There is no doubt a clear path forward at the club. Sunderland would not have been able to sign several promising talents if there wasn’t one.
However, their pre-season performances have indicated that Le Bris will need to be particular about his squad moving forward. As a result, he could be inclined to take Carragher’s previous comments on board.
Carragher once slammed Arthur Masuaku
Sunderland recently agreed a deal to sign Arthur Masuaku as a free agent to bolster their defensive options.
Masuaku will arrive at the Stadium of Light with ample Premier League experience after spending six years at West Ham United.
The left-back was a controversial figure at the time. In January 2018, he was famously sent off for spitting as League One side Wigan knocked the Hammers out of the FA Cup.
But his mannerisms were not the aspects critiqued by spectators. On 9 December 2019, Carragher let rip on Sky Sports about Masuaku’s defending during a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.
- “It’s the Premier League. He’s playing against Pepe, you know what he does,” he said.
- “It’s not good enough, it’s really poor at this level.”
Masuaku replaced Aaron Cresswell from the bench and was at fault for the second goal West Ham conceded. He was often used as a wingback under David Moyes and was more comfortable when attacking.
Carragher’s thoughts may act as a warning to Le Bris to reconsider how best to position Masuaku at Sunderland.
- Read more: Winners and Losers from Masuaku’s transfer
Masuaku could be a successful gamble for Sunderland
Adding a fullback who prefers to attack will always be a gamble. But it can pay off for Le Bris.
Attacking fullbacks have become a staple across teams in Europe.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 345 | 8 | 40 |
However, Le Bris will need to strike a balance for Masuaku to succeed at Sunderland. This means placing more emphasis on his chosen centre-back duo to sit back when Masauaku advances. Or Trai Hume to play a more defensive role on the other flank.
With a few tweaks, Masuaku could end up being a great signing for the Black Cats.
Sign up for the Mackem News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Sunderland AFC news sent straight to your phone