When rumours of an injury to Robin Roefs began to gather pace, ahead of Tuesday’s match against Leeds, I could almost hear the cries of disappointment from Wearside in my adopted home in Yorkshire.
The calm, phlegmatic young Dutchman is arguably competing with Granit Xhaka, Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete as the most influential of the summer signings. If that argument doesn’t work for you, alongside Noah Sadiki, he is definitely one of the young prospects whose stock, and consequent value, has risen
most sharply this season. He and Sadiki are both on a very different trajectory compared to the other young players with potential who stepped through the doors of the Academy of Light last summer.
When the season ends and the transfer window opens, Europe’s elite clubs will be lighting up Florent Ghisolfi’s phone and Roefs, Sadiki and Dan Ballard will undoubtedly be at the top of their wanted lists.
It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good, and the opportunity that Roefs’ hamstring injury affords to Melker Ellborg may benefit both the young Swede and the club hierarchy in the near future. Ellborg performed admirably on his Premier League debut in a difficult fixture, where the defence and midfield in front of him had been disrupted by injuries.
Apart from an early scare, where he delivered a poor clearance whilst being closed down under pressure, the former Malmö keeper grew in confidence, turning aside a fiercely struck free-kick. He went on to deal confidently with a series of crosses, punching them well clear, and showed that his early discomfort with the ball at his feet was simply an understandable early aberration.
In a tight game in a hostile atmosphere, Ellborg carried himself with the attitude of a player who has already played European football, and who can handle the pressure of the Premier League.
In his post-match interviews, he came across as a humble individual, with an understanding of the significance of playing in England’s top tier, recognising the impact of fellow countrymen such as Seb Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimović. It was telling that his disappointment was that his inclusion in the team came too late for his family to travel from Sweden to watch his Premier League debut in person.
With Roefs sidelined for a couple of weeks, Ellborg now has the opportunity to show that he has both the ability and the temperament to be Sunderland’s last line of defence. If the timeline for Roefs’ injury is accurate, Ellborg will be lining up between the sticks in the FA Cup tie against Port Vale. Again he will have a makeshift defence, ravaged by injuries and suspension, in front of him.
After that, he will be making his home debut against Brighton at the Stadium of Light. With Sunderland having already hit the magic 40-point mark, it is a fixture which has less pressure than it might have done but the Seagulls are a team who are equally rivalling the Black Cats for an unlikely European qualification.
Whether Roefs will regain fitness in time for the trip to ‘the Visitors’ remains to be seen, and Ellborg may well find himself lining up in what is the biggest Premier League fixture still to play.
It may not be an ideal scenario but, if the summer brings an offer for Roefs that is simply too big to refuse, the club will have had the opportunity to have a thorough assessment of Ellborg to determine if the Dutchman’s successor is already in the building.
There is never a good time to have an injury to an established and important first-team player but Roefs’ absence may not prove to be wholly detrimental, when the bigger picture of Sunderland’s overall progression is considered.
