The Sunderland player who 77% of fans would be happy to let leave

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Sunderland winger Abdoullah Ba continues to face an uncertain future at the club

At the time of writing, Sunderland have now played a full 18 games of this current Championship campaign. Abdoullah Ba is yet to feature in a single one of them.

Last season, the Frenchman was present for all but seven of the Black Cats’ league outings as they trundled their way to a mid-table finish, just six points clear of the relegation zone. But things have been different under Regis Le Bris, and aside from a run out in a Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of Preston North End back in August, Ba has been consigned to watching briefs and stints with Graeme Murty’s U21 side.

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All of this is to say, that the 21-year-old’s future on Wearside looks somewhat precarious. Like compatriot Adil Aouchiche, he has seemingly been ostracised from the first team setup, and faces, at the very least, a battle to play his way back into Le Bris’ affections.

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For his part, the head coach is adamant that there is still a chance for Ba to prove his worth to Sunderland’s promotion push. Speaking prior to the recent 1-1 draw with Millwall, Le Bris said: "They [Ba and Aouchiche] are in the first team group.

"They were a little bit far from the main selection but they trained properly, played for the U21s, their mindset was good. So they are ready to be selected, yes. They are involved and they know the rules of competition.

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"They had a previous story here at the club before me, sometimes a better place than at this moment. But they are still involved, connected with the team, they train properly. They have qualities. Sometimes you just have to wait for the opportunity and then you can change the whole dynamic. Football can be like that, it is possible. If the players are still involved, which they are, it is still possible to reconnect and join the main dynamic of the team. You see at many clubs and in many seasons where this happens - it is possible for them."

But whether Le Bris’ rhetoric translates into actual minutes for Ba remains to be seen. To that end, The Echo have been quizzing readers for their opinion on the attacker’s future at the Stadium of Light. In a recent poll, we asked Sunderland fans: “Should Abdoullah Ba have a long-term future at Sunderland?”.

Of the 748 responses, a whopping 77% suggesting that the Black Cats should cut their losses on Ba and let him leave the club, while 23% are of the opinion that he is worth persevering with.

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