'Big challenge' – Julio Arca makes Trai Hume point as Sunderland defender proves Premier League credentials
Trai Hume has impressed during Sunderland’s remarkable first season back in the Premier League
Julio Arca believes Trai Hume has proved he can handle Premier League football after making the step up from the Championship with Sunderland.
Hume was one of several players facing questions at the start of the season about whether they could adapt to the top flight. Alongside Dan Ballard and Luke O’Nien, the Northern Ireland international had been a key figure in Sunderland’s rise, but the Premier League represented a different challenge altogether.
The 24-year-old answered those questions during a remarkable campaign, helping Sunderland finish seventh and qualify for the Europa League. Hume’s versatility also proved valuable for Régis Le Bris, with the defender used at right-back, left-back and further forward at different stages.
Asked what he had made of Hume, Arca said: “Yeah, he's been good. I mean, again, you know, playing in the Championship is a lot different from playing in the Premier League. You play against better players, better assistants, and sometimes you have more time in the team. Obviously, the quality of the players changes.
“So, it was a big challenge for him, for, you know, Dan Ballard as well, Luke O'Nien as well. Can they do that? Can they play? And they show, obviously, that they can deal with that. They can play in the Premier League, and they've done really well.”
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Hume’s adaptability has been one of his biggest strengths. Le Bris has asked him to perform different roles across the season, and the defender has rarely looked out of place. His competition with Nordi Mukiele has also helped Sunderland.
“You've got a good competition between him and Mukiele,” Arca added. “It’s a good competition. So, ideally, you want to have two players in each position if you can, you know. The two of them have been doing really well, and it's that kind of player who can play in different positions as well. He can play as a left-back. If it's necessary, he could probably go as a centre-back or as a right-wing, like he did a few times. So, it's good to have this kind of player that you can use when you need in different positions.”