How Arbenit Xhemajli fared on his first Sunderland showing and everything we know about the international trialist

Introduced for the second half, there was a great deal of excitement among supporters as the international defender entered the fray.

We take a look at his debut – and what comes next for both club and player:

What do we know about the centre back?

Xhemajli was born in Switzerland, but is a Kosovan international – having been handed one cap for the senior side.

A centre back by trade, Xhemajli has also been regularly capped by Kosovo at under-21 level.

He spent last season with Swiss top tier side Neuchâtel Xamax, whom he had joined in 2017.

The 22-year-old was a regular for Xamax who, having defied the odds to reach the Swiss Super League, were relegated after finishing at the foot of the table.

Xhemajli made 23 appearances last season, scoring twice.

How did Xhemajli fare on his first Sunderland showing?

Having initially been named on the bench, the centre back came on at half-time and replaced Tom Flanagan on the left-hand side of Sunderland's back three.

It was a promising showing by Xhemajli – although in truth, he was rarely tested in a defensive capacity in a half which the Black Cats dominated from start to finish.

Pleasingly though, he looked comfortable in possession and was happy to carry the ball out from the back when required. He embarked on one impressive foray forward early in the half, advancing into the opposition half before feeding Denver Hume and kick-starting a Sunderland attack. The fact Xhemajli is a natural left-footer – the mould of defender Sunderland would like to bring in before the transfer window closes – is also an advantage, and his performance on the ball illustrated the benefits of having that natural left foot in the back three.

Xhemajli also almost found himself on the scoresheet as he met a Chris Maguire with a fine glancing header which struck the post.

And while he was unable to mark his first appearance with a goal, it was a strong showing from the Sunderland trialist.

But it must be remembered that this was just for 45 minutes, and in a game where the Black Cats were scarcely threatened. Only when we see Xhemajli up against a sterner opposition will we be sure whether he can add serious value to the Sunderland backline.

What comes next?

No decision is expected on the centre back imminently.

With the new pressures of the salary cap, Sunderland have to make sure they get their summer additions right – meaning nothing will be rushed into.

But after the triumph, Phil Parkinson was pleased with the performance of his trialist.

“Arbenit is a good player,” he said.

“One of the factors in the salary cap issue is that it does become a numbers game.

“You can only have 22 players over the age of 21 and so we have to be really careful and ensure anyone who comes in is ready to make a contribution.

“He did well today.”

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