Mayenda a success in Sunderland project

Eliezer Mayenda has scored seven league goals for Sunderland this season

For a 19-year-old, Eliezer Mayenda is having an exceptional season, as are Sunderland as a team and I think undoubtedly that is helping him find his feet and his confidence.

The development of Mayenda this season is on a par with Jobe Bellingham last season.

We didn't see much of Mayenda last season as he was on loan at Hibernian and was very much a fringe player when he was back at the club, but he's been involved this season and we have seen him score some terrific goals.

You have also got to factor in that for a player of 19, from Spain, he has driven himself to learn English, to learn from his experience in Scotland and not let that affect his ambitions to break into the first team this season.

He has an explosive finish and a physicality because he is strong, big and stocky and when you see him on the ball he can hold it up and hold off players.

He has had an impact both as a substitute and when he has started games so I think we are only going to see Mayenda get better and better.

The only question now is could he make the step up to the Premier League? Probably at this stage of his career that is asking a lot, but he has also proved the project at Sunderland is working.

Mayenda is stepping up to become a homegrown striker and it does look like this development pattern is a two or three-year cycle.

Players that are coming through this system are taking one or two years to succeed and boss Regis Le Bris has spoken about the first season for these young players being a bit of a struggle. But if they work hard, are committed and listen, that path is seemingly working.

The problem is they need to get the numbers through to back up what might possibly happen this summer if Sunderland do not get promoted.

If that happens, players will leave and they need those players coming through to replace them and that's the next stage in the project.