With the French Revolution fully underway at Sunderland, I think the club should make the permanent signing of Edouard Michut as soon as possible.
The younger players, brought in by KLD and Kristjaan Speakman, have drastically changed the way we look at the club. Sunderland’s injection of youth into the senior squad has grasped Championship football like no other. We’re looking progressively more comfortable and have competed well against every side in the division, despite having the youngest squad on average. One of the best examples of this is Edouard Michut, who has come into Tony Mowbray’s side and hasn’t looked out of place.
Taken under our wing at the start of the season, the French giants PSG trusted Michut’s development with us. He didn’t feature that often when he first arrived, playing only four games before the turn of the New Year. But since Corry Evans was ruled out for the season in January, Edouard has come in and proven his value.
We have included a buyout clause on his loan contract for 2.5 million euros, which was common knowledge when he joined, but throughout his first couple months at the club it wouldn’t have crossed your mind. But now, signing the young Frenchman seems like a no-brainer; his consistently good performances have made him one of the first names on the team sheet. With him still being 20 years old and developing at a quick rate, I think that it would be obvious to snap up Michut for the relatively “low” price. I also find it hard to believe that the model that Speakman is building wouldn’t include the young Frenchman.
The young duo of Dan Neil and Edouard Michut have been left exposed on some occasions, evidently the game against Sheffield United where we lost 2-1. But the lack of experience from the two hasn’t shone through and they have both become dependable and consistent Championship players. From the reported interest from Fulham (reported by Fabrizio Romano), and potential other suitors, we have to be ready when we get first dibs on Michut as it would certainly be a bold statement to the rest of the Championship for next season. From a Speakman perspective, I think that if Michut extends his stay on Wearside, and expands on his current way of playing, he is going to become a top, top player in football and not just SAFC.
The French core of the squad that Speakman is creating has complemented the way that Mowbray manages, bringing beautiful football to watch but a team that doesn’t shirk from a tackle. Michut has been second to none in the system where he has regularly shown glimpses of what he has become, and what he can become, in a midfield role alongside the other Frenchmen that have shown positive signs in previous games (Pierre Ekwah, Abdoullah Ba, Isaac Lihadji).
With the season rolling down to the final wire, every fan will be looking forward to the additions that SAFC make and the further recruitment that the club offers, alongside the several additions that Speakman has made already this season. If we can get the signings right, I firmly believe that Sunderland can be a powerhouse next year and be a real threat to the rest of the EFL Championship.
