Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris' next request to Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman revealed

Régis Le Bris’ next request to Sunderland co-owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and sporting director Kristjaan Spekman has been revealed.

Alan Nixon is reporting that Le Bris is looking for another “sidekick to boost his manager team” at Sunderland after arriving at the club last summer. The Frenchman’s staff currently consists of assistant coaches Mike Dodds and Michael Proctor alongside goalkeeping coach Alessandro Barcherini.

Sunderland also announced the appointment of Pedro Ribeiro as the club’s new assistant head coach earlier this season. The Black Cats has been on the hunt for a candidate to work alongside head coach Regis Le Bris since the Frenchman’s arrival on Wearside earlier this year and finally settled on the Portuguese 38-year-old, who boasts almost two decades of experience in the dugout.

However, Nixon has now stated that despite hiring Riberio earlier this campaign, Le Bris wants to add another body to his coaching staff following Sunderland’s 3-2 away win against Swansea City in the Championship last Saturday afternoon.

Ribeiro has previously held similar roles at FC Porto, Al-Ahli, Olympiacos, Fenerbahce, and TSV 1860 Munich, and has managerial experience with Belenenses SAD, FC Penafiel, Academico Viseu, and Leixoes in his home country.

Addressing his new role at the Stadium of Light, Ribeiro said: “I’m privileged to be part of one of the most historical and progressive football clubs in English football. It’s a real honour and I’m grateful for the trust placed in me. I’ll do my best to contribute and to support our players, as we all work to achieve Sunderland’s long-term goals.”

Speakman added: “We are delighted to welcome Pedro to Sunderland. We’ve been diligent and patient in identifying the right candidate for this role to ensure we build on the excellent progress we are making. Pedro has an impressive set of experiences. He can use these to provide an alternative perspective, but importantly he is aligned to our values and playing identity. We wish him the best of luck and look forward to helping him settle into his new role.”

Ribeiro’s most recent post was with Leixoes, where he lasted half a season before departing the club in January of this year. He was unattached before joining Sunderland.