Simon Adingra left Sunderland to join AS Monaco in January.

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has admitted that he still doesn’t know what the future holds for Black Cats winger Simon Adingra following his electric start to life on loan at AS Monaco.

The Ivorian signed for the Premier League new boys during a flurry of recruitment in the wake of their promotion back to the top flight last year, but struggled to make a consistent impact on Wearside, and sealed a temporary exit to the continent on deadline day of the January transfer window.

Since then, however, Adingra has really hit his stride. A fine strike against Angers SCO over the weekend took his tally to three goals in four Ligue 1 matches thus far, and he also made his Champions League debut against Paris Saint-Germain last month.

What has Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris said about Simon Adingra?

But speaking in a press conference earlier this week, Le Bris suggested that there is still some uncertainty over how Adingra’s situation will pan out. When asked if he felt any regret that Sunderland hadn’t always seen the most effective version of the attacker, or if he was simply pleased to see his player thriving elsewhere, the Black Cats boss responded: “It's a different story. First of all, I'm pleased for him.

“He's still a player for Sunderland. If he plays well, it's good for us in the future. We had many conversations about Simon. He's a player who needs confidence and references to play with freedom. Probably, he struggled to find this context in the first part of the season.

“Now, going into a different division, probably Monaco are more dominant. They have more of the ball. They have experienced players. The level is probably a bit different as well. It helps to create this context and I hope it will set a strong foundation for the future. Is it for us or for someone else? We don't know.”

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What did Simon Adingra say about his Sunderland exit?

Explaining the reasoning behind his switch to Monaco in a press conference shortly after completing the move, Adingra said: “The club from the Principality spoke to me about their interest, my qualities and the project. I quickly saw AS Monaco’s ambition through the discussions I had with head coach Sebastien Pocognoli.

“The sporting project immediately appealed to me, so the decision came naturally. The style of play and the environment also played a part, as did the fact of playing in a French-speaking country and league – a language I’m comfortable with – which makes my adaptation easier. I’m here to help the team and show what I can do best.”

Reflecting on his time at the Stadium of Light, Adingra continued: “The season at Sunderland was marked by some more difficult moments. Today, I want to focus on the present and move forward with the Red and Whites. I feel very good, both physically and mentally, and confident about what lies ahead. Enjoyment is essential for a player with my skill set and that comes through playing time. I’ve played less recently, so I’m here to regain confidence, rhythm and that sense of being.”

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