The six-figure Sunderland flop is set to return to the club after an underwhelming loan spell in Europe...
Luis Hemir Semedo’s time with Juventus Next Gen will not extend beyond the current season, with the Italian side opting against triggering the option to buy the striker on a permanent deal.
According to JuventusNews24, Semedo is set to return to Sunderland after a disappointing spell in Turin, where he recorded just two goals and one assist in 27 appearances. Juventus recently confirmed the signing of Shane van Aarle, further indicating the end of Semedo’s stay in Italy.
Hemir joined Sunderland two summers ago from Benfica but has struggled to make a lasting impact. He was not involved in new head coach Régis Le Bris’ early-season plans and subsequently dropped down to Juventus’ second team, Juventus Next Gen, who compete in Italy’s third tier.
At the time of the loan move, Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman described the switch as a valuable opportunity for the 2003-born forward to gain experience and regular game time. “This is a positive next step for Hemir, who has benefited greatly from the 12 months he has spent within our senior group,” Speakman said. “The environment at Juve Next Gen will provide him with a balance of competition and development, which is exactly the type of opportunity we sought to identify for him this summer. We hope this move will enable him to play regularly and look forward to monitoring his progress.”
What has Le Bris said about the play-off final against Sheffield United?
Régis Le Bris hailed Sunderland’s campaign as a tremendous success, regardless of the outcome at Wembley — but insists his squad are fully focused on finishing the season in the best way possible.
The head coach is under no illusions about the challenge that awaits in the Championship play-off final, with opponents Sheffield United amassing 92 points during the regular season, despite starting with a two-point deduction, and cruising past Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate in their semi-final.
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join ourSAFC WhatsApp channel.
Following their dramatic and exhausting two-legged win over Coventry City, Sunderland’s players and staff were given Wednesday off to recover. Preparations for the Wembley showdown will begin in earnest when they return to the training ground on Thursday.
“Getting to the final shows that this season has been fantastic," Le Bris said. "It is very important to say that because you can win or lose at the end, but what we have lived together this season was absolutely brilliant. We cannot forget that. But at the same time, it is really important to think about Wembley now and the final game we have to play. We have one more game. It will be another tough challenge, but we will be really focused on that game now. We will switch our attention to Wembley towards the end of the week, and then we will have a full week to prepare for the game. That is the next step for us now."
Continue Reading