Sunderland have a perfect Bellingham rival emerging in the academy

Regis Le Bris will know, alongside recruiting various new players this summer at Sunderland, that there will be an expectation on his shoulders that youngsters developing on Wearside will also be given a fair crack in the first-team this coming season.

The next generation of Black Cats talents managed to raise a smile on the weary faces of supporters at the Stadium of Light last campaign, even when things were routinely looking bleak in the Championship, with the likes of Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham standing out who are only 17 and 18 years of age respectively.

Bellingham, in particular, impressed with seven goals next to his name across the full season, with a new Academy star also predicted to make waves in the first-team soon to potentially challenge the teenage sensation’s starting spot in attacking midfield.

Caden Kelly’s situation at Sunderland

There will be concerns in the air that 20-year-old Caden Kelly could still end up waving goodbye to Sunderland in a year’s time when his contract expires.

Football journalist Alan Nixon has stated via his Patreon that a new deal is being ironed out to try and keep Kelly rooted in his Wearside location, with the former Manchester City youngster tipped to impress if given a chance to shine in the first-team.

Regularly providing a goalscoring threat for the youthful Black Cats, the time could well be right for Kelly to be bumped up to the senior mix if Le Bris is willing to give him a platform to impress this coming campaign.

With the Championship outfit also short on attacking midfield numbers, with Adil Aouchiche the only other option in the number ten spot minus Bellingham, the Irish-born gem could be the next starlet every Sunderland fan is raving about very shortly.

Kelly’s numbers at Sunderland

In the Premier League 2 for Sunderland U23s last term, Kelly tallied up an impressive three goals and ten assists in all competitions.

That would bring his total playing at that level to 11 goals and 15 assists from 49 games, with there now being the argument that the 20-year-old has outgrown the youth pitches he is playing on, especially if Bellingham – who is two years younger than Kelly – is lighting up the Championship on the contrary.

Consistently delivering the goods for Sunderland at youth level, Kelly has been handed two first-team appearances off the back of these exploits, with more potentially coming his way if Le Bris takes a shining to the 20-year-old.

Capable of playing down the wings and even up front if needed, much like Bellingham managed on occasion last campaign, Kelly would offer the new manager another option all over the attacking areas, as he aims to be the coach to bring success back to the Stadium of Light.

It is unlikely that Kelly will manage to displace Bellingham from the starting line-up anytime soon, as the 18-year-old looks to kick on and impress even more in the second tier after committing his future to the club amidst speculation he could be leaving this summer.

But, the youthful gem could be given more minutes in the senior fold regardless, if Sunderland can tie him down to a new contract, with Kelly being potentially the next fruitful Academy star off the Black Cats production line if all goes to plan.