Regis Le Bris is looking forward to seeing what Ahmed Abdullahi can do throughout pre-season.
The ability of striker Ahmed Abdullahi to make an impact in the Premier League will be tested in the coming weeks.
Head coach Regis Le Bris recruited the Sunderland striker to the club last season, but despite playing a few games with the U21s, he never played for the senior team.
The Nigerian was out for most of the season due to an ongoing groin problem, but he still has three years left on his current Sunderland contract.
The former Gent forward is still only 21 years old and played the second half of Sunderland’s first pre-season friendly at South Shields over the weekend.
He scored the final goal in his team’s 4-0 victory, latching on to a through ball from Eliezer Mayenda and around the goalkeeper before sliding home.
Given his inexperience, some argue that Abdullahi might benefit from a season on loan.
While Sunderland have received bids for the teenager, Le Bris is open to keeping him on Wearside for at least the first half of next season.
Abdullahi is a member of the senior squad that will be in Portugal this week for a warm-weather training camp, and he is expected to play in the Black Cats’ friendly double-header against Sevilla and Sporting.
“We didn’t get to see Ahmed last season due to injury, but now he’s ready to go, which means he’ll have a full pre-season,” Le Bris said after the South Shields encounter.
“We’ll get to know the real Ahmed now.
“He is still extremely young, so we don’t know what his full potential is. It will be intriguing to see him for the entire preseason.”
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