Sunderland AFC news: This is why £97m attacker was at Stadium of Light against Sheffield United

The French World Cup winner has been sidelined with a hamstring injury in recent months, meaning he has missed Barcelona’s last seven league games. Dembele’s appearance was picked up by Sky’s TV cameras, with the 22-year-old in conversation with Louis-Dreyfus.

Sunderland were beaten 2-1 by Sheffield United at the Stadium of Light. Despite some early pressure, the Black Cats took the lead when Edouard Michut scored his first goal for the club with 30 minutes played.

The hosts equalised on the stroke of half-time, though, when Manchester City loanee James McAtee found space in the box and converted with a low finish. Another City loanee then scored the winner as Tommy Doyle’s free-kick went straight in just after the hour mark.

But the talk following the game was (in part) centred around why the Dembele was at the Stadium of Light. The Barcelona man and Sunderland majority shareholder Louis-Dreyfus have a standing friendship.

Indeed, the pair have taken several photos together which have been posted on social media over the years and Dembele actually congratulated Sunderland on Instagram when they were promoted last year. Dembele and Dreyfus were also pictured together in Miami five years ago.

Dembele was gifted a Sunderland shirt by the club following his visit to Wearside as Louis-Dreyfus’ guest as the Black Cats lost against Sheffield United and was also pictured on the club’s social media.