Bargain Sunderland Signing Could Play Huge Role in Premier League Survival | OneFootball

Sunderland Defender Could Play Crucial Role in Premier League Survival Hopes

It’s an exciting time to be a Sunderland fan.

After defeating Sheffield United in the playoff final, Sunderland have splurged heavily in order to prepare for their first Premier League season in nine years, investing on 15 different players. Two of those players — Marc Guiu and Lutsharel Geertruida — arrived on loan, with Guiu returning to parent club Chelsea just days after arriving on loan as a result of Liam Delap’s injury.

Another two of those players arrived on free transfers: Reinildo Mandava and Arthur Masuaku. And whilst Reinildo he started in each of Sunderland’s first three Premier League matches, he faces stern competition from Masuaku at the left back position.

Born in Lille, Masuaku bounced around various French clubs before making the move to Greek giants Olympiacos in 2014, where he gained valuable UEFA Champions League experience and emerged as one of the most exciting young left backs in the game. These performances attracted the attention of West Ham, who signed him in 2016, with the DR Congo international proceeding to rack up 128 appearances for the Hammers before making the move to Besiktas.

Masuaku formed a stellar fullback duo alongside Valentin Rosier and helped the Turkish heavyweights win the Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup in 2024, scoring 3 goals and 18 assists in 108 appearances, before deciding to return to England and join Sunderland on a two-year contract on August 10.

“Normally, when I speak with [Masuaku], I tell him every time he’s s**t, but here, I will say the truth. I like him a lot, for me, he’s a very good player,” stated Rosier. “I’ve told him many times, I don’t know why he doesn’t play in the biggest club, because when I saw some players in the biggest clubs, I’d see Masuaku as a better player.”

“He knows the Premier League and I think he’ll deliver a nice season at Sunderland, but he’s also a good person. In football, it’s rare to find people like that, but he has a nice heart, and I like him a lot. He’s like my brother and I’m happy for him to join Sunderland and return to the Premier League. He’s a very nice player. Okay, he doesn’t like to defend, but with the ball, he’s a very nice player.”

As opposed to Reinildo, who had a full preseason to adjust to Sunderland’s tactical plan, Masuaku has had to learn on the job. It’s why he remained on the bench for the duration of their 2-0 loss to Burnley and 2-1 win vs. Brentford, with Reinildo being preferred on the left side of defense. However, Regis Le Bris nevertheless gave him a chance to shine on August 26 in the second round of the EFL Cup.

Photo: IMAGO

Masuaku made three clearances and one interception and blocked one shot, whilst he also showcased his creativity by completing 81 out of 89 passes (two key passes) and two out of three crosses. He won two out of two ground duels, one out of one aerial duel, created one big chance, registered two key passes and completed 12 out of 16 long balls. And although he was unable to lead them to victory, with Huddersfield Town prevailing on penalties, he nevertheless left a positive impression on Sunderland fans.

Can Masuaku make his Premier League debut for Sunderland on September 13 at Crystal Palace?