JUST IN :Régis Le Bris explains Sunderland’s Jewison Bennette plan after loan disappointment and position switch

Régis Le Bris says Sunderland were disappointed not to be able to secure Jewison Bennett on loan in January, but says the youngster can still develop on Wearside.

   Le Bris made it clear in the summer that he did not see Bennett as ready for regular Championship football, and League One side Reading have been linked with a loan move.    This deal failed, with the Royals doing very little business by the end of the period as the takeover of the club dragged on.

   So Bennette is currently content with regular minutes at Sunderland U21s, a position which Le Bris admits is not ideal.    Tommy Watson’s form means the Costa Rican international played at left-back against Athletic Club Bilbao B last week.

   The Sunderland head coach does not see this as a sustainable position for him in the long term, but believes Bennette can improve in addition to training with the senior team before his position is reinstated in January.

   “It’s difficult because we felt he needed senior football and of course he’s still playing youth football with the U21s,” Le Bris said.

   “But he can train with the senior team and have that kind of game, so it’s only four months and then we’ll see. We can try to see how he plays at left-back, it’s still useful for his development and his experience.. I think that  it’s not his position, but that’s where he can learn in games like this.”

   Bennette is likely to feature against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the next Under-21 International Cup match at Eppleton on Wednesday night (19:00 KO).