Sunderland ended the 2022/23 marketing campaign with an damage disaster on the coronary heart of their defence as Danny Batth and Daniel Ballard each missed the Championship play-offs.
This meant that Luke O’Nien and Trai Hume, a midfielder and a right-back by commerce, had been compelled to play as centre-backs towards Luton within the second leg, which they misplaced 2-0.
The accidents to Batth and Ballard uncovered the dearth of depth within the squad in that place. Kristjaan Speakman and Tony Mowbray have now made a transfer to fight that forward of 2023/24.
It was just lately reported that the Black Cats have agreed on a deal value $500,000 (£402k) to signal central defender Nectarios Triantis from Australian aspect Central Coast Mariners.
What’s Nectrarios Triantis’ type of play?
The precise-footed centre-back is a reliable passer of the ball who may make common defensive interventions to chop out opposition assaults and the 18-year-old may very well be the dream long-term inheritor to Batth’s place within the crew on the Stadium of Gentle.
Through the present A-League marketing campaign, Triantis has averaged a powerful Sofascore ranking of seven.05 throughout 25 appearances within the division and made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per recreation for his aspect.
Batth, in the meantime, averaged a Sofascore ranking of 6.83 throughout 40 outings within the Championship and made 1.5 tackles and interceptions for Sunderland.
These statistics counsel that the 18-year-old centre-back has the potential to be an improve on the skilled campaigner as a consequence of his common efficiency degree and the quantity of defensive actions he is ready to make week-in-week-out, which might restrict the variety of probabilities the opposition are in a position to create towards Mowbray’s aspect.
Australian soccer journalist Joey Lynch just lately supplied the Sunderland Echo an outline of the Mariners gem:
“A much bigger-bodied defender, Triantis consists on the ball and possesses restoration velocity to assist out his teammates in a pinch.”
Lynch’s touch upon his capacity in possession is backed up by the enforcer’s 85% go completion price within the A-League, which reveals that the teen is dependable on the ball and infrequently provides it away – in a similar way to Batth, who accomplished 81% of his passes within the Championship.
Triantis, who journalist Josh Bunting additionally described as an “thrilling” potential signing, solely turned 18 final month and is a staggering 14 years youthful than the present Black Cats battler.
Because of this {the teenager} may very well be one for the long run, in addition to the right here and now, and a participant who Mowbray can develop and enhance over time.
The Aussie gem might study from Batth and utilise the 32-year-old’s huge expertise to assist him modify to life in English soccer earlier than finally taking up his place as first-choice within the crew, ought to Speakman and co strike.