Sunderland's Trai Hume (Image: PA)
Sunderland's Trai Hume (Image: PA)
REGIS Le Bris has strongly dismissed suggestions that Trai Hume could leave Sunderland in the final days of the transfer window - stressing the continued importance of the versatile Northern Ireland international.
Hume was this week linked with a £20m move to Everton, who are in the market for a right-back ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
But Le Bris said the Black Cats are not open to offers for the 24-year-old, and when he was asked whether he expects Hume to still be a Sunderland player this time next week, the head coach said: "You never know in football or life but for me there's no question."
Le Bris said he "didn't know" whether Everton - or any other club for that matter - had tabled an official offer for Hume, but added: "At the minute Trai is a Sunderland player and there's no reason for something else, other than watching your mobile [to read the speculation]."
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Hume played in every single Premier League game for Sunderland last season - starting 34 of them - was in the team for the campaign opener at Ipswich last week and is again expected to be in from the off when Fulham visit the Stadium of Light tomorrow.
He played most of his football last season and prior to promotion at right-back, but also covered on the left of the defence last term and further forward on the right flank, where Le Bris thinks he does a brilliant job.
Hume started on the right side of midfield at Ipswich last week, with summer signing Thomas Meunier playing at right-back, and while competition is likely to increase with the signing of another wide attacker a priority for the Black Cats in the final days of the window, the Northern Irishman is set to keep his place in that more advanced role against Fulham.
Asked where Hume is likely to play most of his football this season, Le Bris said: "I don't know. The journey will be so long, we enjoy his flexibility. It's so good to have a player like him.
"He can play right-back in a back four, wing-back, right winger, midfielder."
Le Bris then explained why he thinks Hume is so effective on the right side of the midfield.
"The connection with Nordi and Thomas is really good," he said.
"We know that Nordi and Thomas have really good volume. They can run all day and exploit the wide areas. So to keep the balance, the connection with Trai is really important. It's key because he can feel when he needs to drop to allow say Nordi to go forward and attack.
"The balance is always maintained on this side. Often it's said Trai is not a winger. That's true. He's something different. And the connection on our right side is brilliant.
"We can still be better, it's possible, but at the minute it's strong if you think about the goal against Chelsea [on the final day of last season]. We play with Trai on this side and Trai scored."