REGIS LE BRIS is confident that Tommy Watson will be returning with his mind fully focused on Sunderland when he is restored to the Black Cats squad for Saturday’s home game with Cardiff City.
Watson has recovered from the knee and ankle issues that have kept him on the sidelines since mid-December, and is expected to be on the substitutes’ bench at the Stadium of Light at the weekend.
His spell out of the side coincided with the January transfer window, which ended with him being the subject of a flurry of deadline-day bids from Brighton.
The Premier League side returned to the table after making a failed attempt to sign the 18-year-old winger in the summer, but despite receiving a final offer that is understood to have been worth around £15m, the Sunderland hierarchy stood firm and refused to sell one of their brightest young talents.
Speaking shortly after deadline day, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman insisted that Watson had never expressed a desire to leave Sunderland, and Le Bris is adamant the teenager remains fully focused on trying to help his hometown club secure promotion this season.
“We spoke about everything that happened,” said the Black Cats boss. “I think Tommy is clear in his mind. He seems really mature because he had many interests in him, that is true, but at the same time, he was still connected with everything he was doing on a day-by-day basis.
“If you are a footballer, you can be in a high or a low point, but at the same time, it is always important that you stay connected with your job. Tommy has always done that. He has shown this good quality during the different weeks we have had together.”
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While Watson has commanded Premier League interest in each of the last two transfer windows, he has still made just six senior starts in the whole of his career.
He remains extremely inexperienced, so while his return is a welcome boost given that Sunderland are currently without the injured Enzo Le Fee, Le Bris will not be rushing him back into action.
Romaine Mundle started last Friday’s win at Sheffield Wednesday, and the 21-year-old will once again line up on the left of the Black Cats’ attack against Cardiff at the weekend, with Watson primed to replace him from the bench in the closing stages.
That arrangement is likely to remain in place for the foreseeable future, with Le Bris keen to manage both players’ match minutes given they have both missed a big chunk of the season through injury.
“It is true that Tommy is still very young,” said Le Bris. “I hope we will have the luxury of Romaine being able to start at the beginning, and then Tommy available for the last few minutes.
“Maybe ten or 15 minutes to start with, and then after that, we can build it up to 20 or 25. If we have both players available, then we can build things up like that, and that would be a good idea for us.”
