Sunderland ace responds to Hibs transfer that didn't work after turning heads with stunning Black Cats display

He netted twice for the Black Cats at the weekend | Getty Images

His time at Hibs came and went without much fuss - but now Eliezer Mayenda is being hailed as a major Sunderland example.

The forward netted twice in a head-turning display at the Stadium of Light, during a 4-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday. Alongside Sunderland teammate Nectar Triantis, he spent the second half of last season on loan under then-Hibs head coach Nick Montgomery but it wasn’t providing matches he craved.

In total, he played just four times for a combined total of 106 minutes following his January loan move to Leith. Mayenda was asked about his difficult Hibs stint on Sky Sports post-match, and said: “It’s part of football. Sometimes you need opportunity and yeah, I didn’t play so much at Hibernian. Now it’s a new season and Sunderland is my club. I feel really good here.”

His current gaffer, Regis Le Bris, was full of praise for the 19-year-old post-match and says he’s a shining light for those at the Black Cats. He said: “It’s really a good example for all the team.

“He wasn't a starter last season but he still wants to improve. He has many qualities but he is still young, every day during the training session and after the games he played, he wanted to find the little details he can improve on. Today was the reward for him.

“I think there are two positions on the pitch where it is heavy to play, in goal and number nine, because the pressure, the expectation, is very high. For a young boy like Eliezer, today was for sure a great experience. We also know that we need to repeat and this is the most difficult thing as a number nine and for other positions on the pitch.

“I'm happy for him because he works hard, he's very clear in the part of the games that he needs to improve. He's always sharing ideas with the coaches and his team-mates and in the end he improves. This is a good example for all the team.”