Regis Le Bris outlines grand plan to transform Sunderland star into one of best in Premier League
Sunderland have taken to life back in the Premier League like a duck to water.
Playing in the top flight for the first time since 2016/17, Sunderland’s eight points from five matches come from a result of excellent coaching and smart recruitment.
Granit Xhaka has been immense in midfield, whilst Nordi Mukiele has adapted brilliantly to the Premier League.
However, one player’s contributions to the team have gone under the radar, as he has the potential to become one of Sunderland’s most influential talents under the tutelage of Regis Le Bris.
Noah Sadiki’s potential is sky-high under Regis Le Bris
Sadiki joined the Black Cats for £14.6million after enjoying a brilliant season with Union Saint-Gilloise.
Sadiki was instrumental in securing Union Saint-Gilloise’s first league title since 1935, with the 20-year-old featuring in 55 games across all competitions.
Ahead of Sunderland’s upcoming clash versus Nottingham Forest, Le Bris spoke about Sadiki’s role in the team.
He said: “He’s not the only one, but his quality is to run and cover paces. We spoke about this volume, and it’s one of his strengths, sometimes, it’s possible to manage his energy so he’s more efficient and he’s getting better.
Sadiki has always shown promise as a youngster, moving up quickly from the Anderlecht academy to the first team, before making a move across Brussels when he was 18.
- Sadiki joins Union Saint-Gilloise in 2023/24
- He played 108 matches over two seasons, winning three trophies at the club
- His standout performances earned him call-ups to the DR Congo national team
What’s clear to see is that Sadiki is an incredibly fit and athletic midfielder, who has not suffered a major injury in his career so far.
The talented youngster has started every Premier League game for Sunderland, and his qualities are becoming more evident for Mackem fans to see each game.
Against Aston Villa, he battled hard and kept the ball well to alleviate pressure as Sunderland secured a well-earned point despite being a man down for most of the game.
Despite being quite small, Sadiki is a powerful runner with the ball, and shrugs off bigger players with ease at times.
As it stands, Sadiki doesn’t ooze class or come up with game-winning goal contributions like Xhaka, yet he has been near-perfect when it comes to executing his role in the team.
However, under Xhaka’s mentorship, Sadiki could develop into one of the best midfielders in the Premier League over the next few years.
Noah Sadiki can massively improve by learning from Granit Xhaka
There are few midfielders in world football who can help develop their teammates better than Xhaka.
The former Arsenal midfielder has been a revelation since arriving at Sunderland, providing game-changing contributions against Brentford and West Ham.
Xhaka, who is in the process of obtaining his UEFA coaching badges, has been praised on numerous occasions for how he is a role model for young teammates.
| Stat | Xhaka |
| Assists | 2 |
| Tackles | 10 |
| Duels won | 34 |
| Recoveries | 21 |
Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli has previously praised the 32-year-old for his influence on younger players at the club, whilst Xhaka has also publicly spoken about the potential of talents such as Ethan Nwaneri, Joe Willock, and Emile Smith-Rowe.
The captain has already provided a positive impact on Sadiki and record signing Habib Diarra, and with Chris Rigg set to reprise his starting role following Diarra’s injury, Xhaka’s encyclopaedic knowledge will inevitably rub off on him.
Sadiki has been an over-performer throughout his career, and Le Bris has ensured that the signing of Xhaka means that he can become one of the best midfielders in England.
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