The standout Hibernian loanee performance that could alter Sunderland's transfer plans moving forward

They’re calling him the Aussie Rodri, which, admittedly, might be a little hyperbolic, but should go some way towards giving you an idea of just how well he is doing up in Edinburgh. When Sunderland first signed Nectar Triantis, he was ostensibly a centre-back. When Hibernian signed him on loan for a second time over the summer, he was still ostensibly a centre-back. And yet, at some stage in the period since, he has not only been sculpted into a deep-lying midfielder, but one that some supporters at Easter Road feel is worthy of comparisons, however cheeky, to a Ballon d’Or winner.

Triantis’ latest engine room masterclass came at the weekend in a 3-3 draw between Hibs and Glaswegian giants Rangers. The 21-year-old started his 18th game of the season on Sunday afternoon, and offered up a typically measured performance as his side extended their unbeaten run to six matches - with just one defeat in their last nine.

The Sunderland loanee has been integral to that run too; his average match rating of 7.5 has been enough to secure him a place in stats database Whoscored’s Scottish Premiership Team of the Month, while Nicky Cadden is the only Hibs player to have registered a higher average rating over the season writ large. Triantis is, in other words, thriving.

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Which brings us back to Sunday. In a match which could quite easily have come to resemble a bloodbath for Hibs - especially given Rangers’ rampant 3-0 win over bitter rivals Celtic just days earlier - Triantis roamed and controlled the centre of midfield with a cool ease far belying his relative inexperience in that newfound brief.

Nobody in a green shirt registered more successful tackles or interceptions than the Sunderland man, and nobody drew more fouls for his team either. On the front foot, he was economical and incisive in possession - linking play with a patient effortlessness; occasionally stepping on and carrying his side deeper into opposition territory with a rangy, urgent gait; even seeing fit to Cruyff-turn his way out of impossibly tight jams every once in a while.

There’s a super-cut compilation of his performance doing the rounds on social media, sound-tracked by A Tribe Called Quest’s Electric Relaxation, and whoever made it could hardly have picked a more fitting score. This is the new Triantis; galvanic, entirely laid back.

All of which begs the question as to what his purple patch means for Sunderland. In the short term, even if they wanted to, they couldn’t bring the Australian back to the Stadium of Light this month. His agreement in Scotland has no recall option, and as such, he will definitely be remaining with Hibs until the end of the season.

But it is also no secret that the Black Cats are on the hunt for midfield reinforcements. AS Roma star Enzo Le Fee has emerged as the latest name to tantalise the taste buds on Wearside, but prior to him, ex-Leeds United talent Glen Kamara was being touted as a target as well. The expectation is that either one of those would be joining on loan, initially at least, and would therefore be more likely than your average acquisition to leave at the end of the season.

Then, of course, there is the established triumvirate of Dan Neil, Chris Rigg, and Jobe Bellingham - all of whom could be realistic summer targets for Premier League clubs if they continue on their current steep trajectories and Sunderland fail to win promotion.

In short, while the Black Cats are relatively stacked in the centre of the park at the time of writing - and are aiming to become even more so between now and the end January - there is a distinct possibility that the conclusion of the campaign could bring with it a notable amount of flux.

And lurking in the background of it all is a reinvigorated Triantis, learning his new role at a stunning rate and staking a claim with every passing exhibition of his hitherto untapped talent. The likelihood of him returning and immediately slotting into a regular starting berth at the Stadium of Light feels slim to minimal, but if he keeps on showcasing his capabilities as he has of late, then at the very least, there is an argument to be made for him being under consideration as a viable member of Regis Le Bris’ squad.