Trey Ogunsuyi: Who is Sunderland striker amid Regis Le Bris comments and Liverpool transfer interest

Sunderland are no strangers to a precocious teenage talent. The Black Cats boast the youngest squad in the Championship, and have a number of young stars who have established themselves as first team regulars in recent seasons.

With that in mind, it is always worth keeping one eye on the academy, and indeed, the next name off Sunderland’s seemingly never-ending conveyor belt could be Trey Ogunsuyi - the promising centre-forward who has been making waves for the U21s this term.

Still yet to make his senior debut, the 18-year-old is nevertheless garnering attention - and not just on Wearside. According to reports, the starlet is a target for Premier League giants Liverpool, who have sent scouts to watch him on a number of occasions over the past 18 months.

But who is Ogunsuyi, and what have Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris and U21s boss Graeme Murty had to say about his prospects at the Stadium of Light? Here’s everything you need to know...

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Who is Trey Ogunsuyi?

Ogunsuyi is an 18-year-old striker who has caught the eye for Sunderland U21s in recent months. The Belgian youth international has been in prolific form at youth level this season, and has featured in Regis Le Bris’ senior match day squad on a number of occasions - although he is still yet to make his first team debut at the time of writing.

Having joined the Black Cats at the age of 10, Ogunsuyi has rapidly risen through the ranks of the club’s academy system, debuting for the U18s during the 2022/23 campaign, and stepping up to the U21s not long after. Since then, he has signed his first professional contract on Wearside, which is due to run until 2026.

What has Regis Le Bris said about Trey Ogunsuyi?

When asked whether the young striker was in the best place to continue his personal development in a recent press conference, Sunderland head coach Le Bris said: "Yes, I think so. He's very young and probably Riggy, Tommy [Watson] and Jobe are the best examples to follow in our club. When you move to another club with a very strong squad you have to find the right environment to develop yourself.

"I don't know [what will happen]. Social media and so on can talk a lot but at the end if we create the right environment and the player, his family and agents are rational, we are in a good place to create the right pathway for him."

When asked when Ogunsuyi could be expected to make his first team debut on Wearside, Le Bris said: "I don't know exactly, it's a question of opportunities. He's been in training sessions so now we know each other and he knows the group. Sometimes you have to wait, sometimes it could happen after two or three games. He's close to the group."

What has Graeme Murty said about Trey Ogunsuyi?

Speaking after a recent goal-scoring turn in an U21s match against Manchester City, Murty emphasised Ogunsuyi’s quality, while also calling for patience with regards to the teenager’s development. The academy coach said: “He looks a threat. He looks like he's going to score. There's lots of things we need to tidy up for him. I think he'll probably think he could have got another one. He's unlucky with the one that hit the post.

“We need to see him be much, much more consistent in his availability for the ball and for the team. Because when he is, he's a really good focal point. But he's a very, very young man. He's only just turned 18. So we have to be really careful not to load too much expectation on him. Just allow him to blossom at his own time and continue to support his development and I think that he's shown some really good signs.”

Asked how excited he was by Ogunsuyi’s form, Murty said: “I'm excited for all of them. There's lots of quality in the team. So there are a lot of people in there that I think have got the capacity to play adult football, to play in a men's team. There are obviously elements we need to iron out with them all. But I think the group collectively are quite good. I just wish they believed it as much as I do.”