Sunderland: Simon Adingra back at Sunderland

Loaned to AS Monaco during the last winter transfer window, Simon Adingra is now back in England. The Ivorian international is currently taking part in Sunderland’s preseason training camp, where he hopes to convince his coach to give him a key role for the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Arriving in Monaco with hopes of getting more game time, the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations champion didn’t quite live up to expectations. Despite enjoying regular minutes, Monaco ultimately decided not to trigger his purchase option at the end of his loan spell.

A mixed spell at Monaco

Wearing the red and white of Monaco, Adingra featured in 17 matches, starting 11 of them, for a total of 992 minutes. He scored 3 goals and registered 2 assists—respectable stats, but not enough to fully convince the Principality club’s management.

Before his loan move, the 24-year-old winger also endured a challenging first half of the season at Sunderland, making 15 appearances with just one goal to his name. Lacking consistency, he struggled to fit into Régis Le Bris’s plans, prompting his temporary move to Ligue 1.

A rich journey despite a difficult spell

Trained at ABIS Sport Academy in Benin and then at the renowned Right to Dream Academy in Ghana, Simon Adingra made his breakthrough at FC Nordsjælland before joining Brighton. After a highly successful loan at Union Saint-Gilloise—where he established himself as one of the Belgian league’s brightest young talents—he continued his rise in the Premier League before signing with Sunderland in the summer of 2025.

Now back with the Black Cats, Adingra enters a pivotal phase of his career. Gifted with pace, dribbling skills, and a knack for breaking through defenses, the Elephant will need to recapture the consistency that made him one of Ivory Coast’s CAN 2024 heroes. This summer’s preparations offer a major opportunity to regain the trust of the coaching staff and cement his place in the Sunderland squad before the new season kicks off.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

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