Sunderland winger Simon Adingra has been at the centre of media discussions back in his home country.
Sunderland winger Simon Adingra has been told that he needs to leave English football as soon as possible “for his own good” by journalists back in his home country amid ongoing debates over his lack of game time at the Stadium of Light.
The Ivorian signed for the Black Cats from Brighton and Hove Albion during the summer transfer window, but has struggled to hold down a consistent spot in Regis Le Bris’ starting XI ever since.
Of Sunderland’s 22 Premier League fixtures so far this term, Adingra has started just nine, alongside a further five substitute appearances, and is yet to complete a full 90 minutes for his new club. At the time of writing, he has a solitary goal to his name too, scoring the opener in a 1-1 draw against Leeds United in late December.
Disappointingly on his part, Adingra’s reduced first team involvement in recent months also coincided with his omission from Ivory Coast’s squad for the African Cup of Nations – a competition that he won Best Young Player of the Tournament at back in 2023 – and in the opinions of some members of the media back in West Africa, he needs to consider ending his stint at Sunderland in an effort to reignite his career.
What has been said about Simon Adingra’s time at Sunderland?
As quoted by Sport News Africa, La Nouvelle Chaine Ivoirienne reporter Alex Payne said: “Simon Adingra is a technically gifted player, but not explosive. He’s also not very involved in defensive efforts, which is what you need to succeed in the Premier League. There, they no longer want simply talented players, but complete athletes who give their all match after match. It’s very intense.
“Look at how [Manchester City star] Jeremy Doku destabilises defences. Adingra doesn’t meet those requirements. I think he should go to a less physically demanding league like Belgium, France, or Germany. I remember he had a very good season with Union Saint-Gilloise, which earned him a place in the Africa Cup of Nations squad. So I think it’s better for Adingra to leave in order to develop further.”
Fellow journalist Izoudine Ilupeju agreed, stating: “For his own good, he needs to leave the English league as soon as possible. He hasn’t been able to find his feet even though he has the ability, but when things aren’t working out, you have to look elsewhere. [Roberto] De Zerbi, in particular, wanted to bring him to Marseille, but unfortunately, no such luck. He could look at the French, German, Belgian, or Dutch leagues to get in shape and shine.”
There are still those who believe that Adingra’s future should lie on Wearside, however. Chamade Yah, a writer for Sport-Ivoire, contradicted his colleagues, arguing: “I think he needs to try and give even more to turn things around in his favour. As we’ve seen, he’s proven himself at Brighton. So he can work on his fitness and win back his starting place. Because of his salary, I don’t see many clubs that could take him on loan or permanently.
“As usual, every transfer window, he’s linked with clubs everywhere, but in the end, nothing concrete comes of it. He needs to stay, work, and prove wrong those pundits who think he’s not suited to the Premier League. With the World Cup on the horizon, he knows what he needs to do at club level.”
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