'Not the case' - Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris delivers first team message to Lutsharel Geertruida

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has suggested that Nordi Mukiele’s current injury absence could provide Lutsharel Geertruida with an ideal opportunity to stake his claim for a more regular starting berth moving forward.

With his fellow summer arrival sidelined, the Dutch international made just his 11th start of the Premier League campaign during Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, continuing a trend that has largely seen him deployed when the Black Cats have found themselves struggling with personnel issues.

Back in autumn, Geertruida was handed a run of matches when Omar Alderete was undergoing concussion protocols, while the impact of the African Cup of Nations afforded the versatile talent several nods around the turn of the year.

January was also an intriguing month for the 25-year-old due to unexpected transfer speculation linking him with a move to Premier League champions Liverpool. With several defensive options injured, Reds boss Arne Slot - who previously coached his compatriot during a shared spell at Feyenoord - seemingly identified Geertruida as a reliable option to bolster his ranks in the short-term.

Ultimately, however, Sunderland refused to sanction an exit for the player, who is currently on loan at the Stadium of Light from RB Leipzig, and with the possibility of a permanent transfer to Wearside at the end of the campaign still very much on the table, Le Bris has highlighted just how important the utility man is to his squad - despite having a relatively meagre number of starts to his name.

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What did Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris say about Lutsharel Geertruida?

Speaking in a press conference on Thursday afternoon, when asked if Mukiele’s injury presented Geertruida with an opportunity of sorts, Le Bris responded: “Absolutely. We had many conversations with Lutsha. It's not always easy to tell a player he won't start. He came a bit late in our journey in the Premier League and the others played well. They generated their momentum and it's hard to break, even if you're a really good player.

“He has the 11th [most] game time in the squad, which shows that he's involved, but not often in one specific position. It's a strength in one way because he's really versatile. He's always useful for the manager and the squad. If you need one player in the left-centre-back position, he will do it. Right-back, he will do it. Six after Granit [Xhaka], because Granit is not available, he can do it. He can play as a right-winger. He did it often at the end of the game.

“It's really important. At the same time, when you are not allocated in a specific position, you might say that we don't trust him, which is not the case. It's a specific journey and now it's the right timing for him to stay in the squad. I think the first step at Bournemouth was good. Now he needs to keep going.”

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