The Sunderland player that 62% of fans want to see leave in January transfer window
The Sunderland midfielder has struggled for game time this season
When he was signed from Lorient last year, Sunderland midfielder Adil Aouchiche could hardly have foreseen how swiftly his fortunes on Wearside would deteriorate. After making 28 appearances in his debut campaign in England, the Frenchman has found himself on the periphery of new head coach Regis Le Bris’ plans this term, and at the time of writing, has been limited to just 93 minutes of senior action across all competitions.
Understandably, his ongoing status as an outcast has left some questioning his long-term future at the Stadium of Light. For his part, however, Le Bris is insistent that Aouchiche, along with fellow unfancied teammate Abdoullah Ba, can still play their way back into his match day squad.
Speaking after the pair made an outing for the U21s recently, the Black Cats boss said: “With the U21s, you have to manage with the ages because there is a maximum [you can select above a certain age] - three, I think.
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“So we had to be careful and make a choice. It is the same with Abdoullah, Adil, and everyone else, if a position is open then they can work to earn it. I don't forget any player, every player can be important when the season is so long. If any player works well, is connected with the team, with the game model and with the project, he can play for sure.”
But whether Aouchiche is actually able to force his way back into Le Bris’ side remains to be seen. With that in mind, The Echo has asked readers in recent days what they would like to see happen to the 22-year-old in the January transfer window - and the results are surprisingly split.
Some 40% of fans are open to the prospect of Sunderland selling Aouchiche in the new year, while 38% want to see him given another chance to prove his worth on Wearside. Stuck in the middle are a further 22% who believe that a loan exit would be the best course of action. It is worth reiterating that at this stage, there are no concrete indications as to what Sunderland’s intentions for Aouchiche are.