Why Sunderland have bagged themselves ‘huge upgrade’ with Reinildo latest from Stadium of Light
Summer signings have played a huge part in Sunderland’s brilliant form in the Premier League
Reinildo joined Sunderland on a free transfer after his contract expired at Atletico Madrid in June.
However, Reinildo’s red card against Aston Villa has left him unavailable for the last three Premier League matches.
The 31-year-old is set to return to the starting lineup against Chelsea on Saturday, as Sunderland look to win at Stamford Bridge for the first time since 2014.
Reinildo return provides huge upgrade over Arthur Masuaku
Reinildo’s moment of petulance against Villa spoiled what had otherwise been a good start to life in England.
The Mozambique international has showcased how solid he is at left-back, and his return will be crucial in nullifying the frightening threat of Chelsea’s 18-year-old wonderkid, Estevao.
Reinildo’s experience will be incredibly useful as Sunderland look to cope with Chelsea’s biggest threat, and four years working under Diego Simeone has shown how good of a defender he really is.
| Stat | Reinildo |
| Appearances | 5 |
| Pass accuracy | 85.3% |
| Duels won | 64.6% |
| Aerial duels won | 58.8% |
Arthur Masuaku’s performances were worrying as he came in for Reinildo, and he was subsequently dropped for the 2-0 win over Wolves.
Despite winning two of their last three matches, Sunderland have used makeshift alternatives to fill the void Reinildo left in the side, and Regis Le Bris will be delighted to finally have his starting left-back available.
Should the Black Cats win, they’ll need to be clinical in the final third, whilst remaining defensively solid as they have been all season.
Chelsea are in a great spell of form, yet if there’s anything that can be learned from Sunderland’s season so far, it is that unexpected results have come from the unlikeliest of heroes.
Whilst Sunderland have signed several talented players looking to find their feet in the Premier League, it’s clear that the experienced arrivals have thrived the most.
Sunderland’s recruitment strategy leaves Reinildo destined for success
Nordi Mukiele has become adored at Sunderland, whilst Granit Xhaka is exhibiting exactly why supporters were so excited to have him at the club.
Florent Ghisolfi and Kristjaan Speakman have not made the mistake that previous promoted clubs have made by signing young talents from the EFL.
Instead, they have ambitiously focused their efforts on attracting players who have a proven track record at the top level.
Reinildo has experience playing for Lille and Atletico Madrid in Champions League matches, and all it will take is a good run of consecutive games to show why he was brought in.
Sunderland are seventh in the table, and a win against Chelsea could have fans dreaming of achieving more than just Premier League survival.
Reinildo has a massive task on his hands, yet if the Black Cats do secure an unlikely victory, he will be at the heart of the excellent performance.
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