Sunderland coach says Salis Abdul Samed needs more time to regain full fitness.

Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris has acknowledged that Ghana midfielder Salis Abdul Samed will need time to regain full fitness after making his long-awaited debut for the club.

The 24-year-old featured for the first time in Sunderland’s 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Stoke City on Saturday, January 11, 2025.

Samed, on a season-long loan from French Ligue 1 side RC Lens, had been sidelined for nearly five months since joining the Championship outfit.

Speaking after the match, Le Bris expressed his satisfaction at having the experienced Ghana international back on the pitch.

Le Bris expressed his relief, saying, “Yes, sure. It’s good news because after six months of injury, it’s great for him. He’ll need time to reach his best level, but today was a good step.”

Despite a strong performance, Samed’s return was overshadowed by a costly mistake in extra time, where his back pass allowed Stoke’s Niall Ennis to score the decisive goal, sealing Sunderland’s FA Cup exit.

While the result was a setback, Samed’s return provides optimism for Sunderland as they focus on their Championship promotion push.

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