Sunderland A.F.C. manager Regis Le Bris has expressed hope that Ghanaian midfielder Abdul Salis Samed, along with other injured players, will be fit to return to the squad in January.

Samed, who joined the Championship side on a long-season loan from French Ligue 1 club RC Lens, has yet to make his debut for Sunderland due to a muscle injury that has kept him sidelined since his arrival.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Le Bris shared his optimism, stating, “We should have two or three players that haven’t played so far available by January.”

He specifically mentioned Samed, along with teammates Ahmed Abdullahi and Ian Poveda, all of whom are recovering from their respective injuries.

Le Bris added that having these players available would provide a significant boost to the squad, saying, “I would like to have Ahmed, Salis and Ian in the team because, so far, we haven’t really been able to see what they can do.”

He emphasized that their different playing styles could offer valuable depth to the team.

Salis Abdul Samed's loan deal with Sunderland runs through the 2023/24 season, with his contract at RC Lens set to expire in June 2028.