Sunderland’s Enzo Le Fée speaks exclusively to Opta Analyst about his adaptation to English football, a “sad” spell with Roma, and the significance of Régis Le Bris on his career.
Enzo Le Fée’s career appeared to be heading in only one direction: up.
After coming through Lorient’s academy – which he joined at eight years old – and helping them return to Ligue 1 for the 2020-21 season, he then established himself as one of the most promising midfielders in French football.
Despite a relatively slight frame, Le Fée caught the eye thanks to his considerable technical talent, not to mention his vision and creativity.
His efforts helped Lorient avoid relegation with successive 16th-place finishes in 2020-21 and 2021-22, before climbing up to 10th in 2022-23 with 55 points, their second most in a top-flight campaign this century (58 in 2009-10).
Le Fée’s influence grew each campaign to the point where his 67 chances created in Ligue 1 saw him rank behind only six players in 2022-23.
By the end of 2022-23, Le Fée had become highly sought-after and of significant value to Lorient, especially considering he’d come through their youth ranks. It was time to make a step up, having been convinced to spend another year at the club 12 months earlier.
But it’s fair to suggest things didn’t go exactly to plan after sealing a €20 million move to Rennes, arguably France’s best polishers of potential superstars.
He was their fifth most-expensive signing of all time, but the consensus was he made a slow start.
After “keeping a cool head” during those early months, he’d started to find a groove in late 2023, early 2024. His coach – Julien Stéphan – acknowledged his increased prominence ahead of facing Lyon, saying Le Fée’s “current performances lead him to be considered an important player”.
But a hamstring injury suffered in early February 2024 set him back. Le Fée missed nine games in all competitions, and then, after a couple of substitute appearances upon his return, he was forced off with a knock in the first half on his first start. He wasn’t in the starting XI again until the penultimate game of the season, ultimately finishing 2023-24 without scoring a single goal.
Frustration was the overriding sense, but the expectation was Le Fée would be a key player in 2024-25 as Rennes were preparing to sell other high-value assets, such as Désiré Doué. Roma came calling, however, with the opportunity for another fresh start as they looked to replenish their own midfield.
But more frustration was on the horizon in Italy. He missed all of September due to injury and went on to make just four more Serie A appearances before the turn of the year.
Jonathan Manuel / Data AnalystThen he did something no one expected.
Le Fée moved to Championship side Sunderland in January 2025; there’s an argument his signing was one of the most ambitious ever seen in England’s second tier, given his reputation had previously seen him become one of the most coveted young midfielders in Europe.
The move wasn’t as random as some casual observers may have thought, though.
“I don’t think I would try Sunderland, to be honest, if I didn’t know the coach,” Le Fée told Opta Analyst, reflecting on his relationship with Black Cats boss Régis Le Bris. “I think it was a big part of my decision.”
The pair worked together closely during Le Fée’s final season at Lorient, and Le Bris made a real impression on the midfielder in that sole campaign.
Le Bris had previously led Lorient’s youth teams, and so he was well regarded for his management of young players, which Le Fée arguably still was at the time. The manager had played a big role in convincing Le Fée to stay an extra season, and he would get the very best out of him during 2022-23.
When Le Bris reached out in January 2025 in the hope of reuniting, though, Le Fée was in a more difficult place.
“I was in Rome, I was a bit sad because I didn’t enjoy football. When I don’t enjoy my football, I’m really sad,” he said. “I wanted to find my confidence again, so that’s why I came here, because I knew [Le Bris] could bring me everything I need to perform on the pitch.”
In Le Fée’s mind, no one in “world football” knows him better than Le Bris, and this was understandably a huge factor in even considering discussions with a Championship club. And, as the table below highlights, his output has been greater under Le Bris than any other manager.
But the broader opportunity Sunderland presented was also enticing.
“I just knew that Sunderland was a Premier League club for me, and to get them back there could be a good option; a good moment for me and for the club, as well for the fans. And with what we’ve done until now, I just say, ‘Okay, you took the right decision.’”
Not that it’s always felt that way, though.
Going from French to Italian to English football all in a little over half a year poses certain adaptation challenges. While Le Fée openly acknowledges he was unhappy in Serie A, it wasn’t specifically because the league didn’t suit him; he barely had the chance to understand if that was the case.
But there was definite uncertainty on his part during those early days in England.
“To be honest, I didn’t think at the beginning it was a championship for me,” he said. “England is totally different [to Italy], maybe less tactical but with a lot of space – run, attack, counter-attack.”
With time, though, Le Fée began to see how such a football landscape potentially suited him.
Le Fée is a clever, inventive player. Sure, he may not be a physical powerhouse, but his technical quality marries nicely with his football IQ, meaning he offers a degree of intricacy to Sunderland’s midfield.
He has a penchant for knitting play together with tidy, short offloads, with his 36 lay-offs bettered by just 10 midfielders in the Premier League this season.
Similarly, only 14 midfielders can better his nine through-ball attempts, which highlights the purpose and positivity he tries to inject into Sunderland’s game.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that Sunderland’s average share of possession this term is on the lower side at 44.2%, the fifth lowest in the division. Were Le Fée playing for a side who focused more on keeping the ball, the likelihood is he’d be even higher in these rankings.
The same could potentially be said regarding his chance creation. Le Fée has set up 32 opportunities for teammates this term, enough to rank 14th among midfielders. Again, perhaps 14th doesn’t sound especially exceptional, but we must put that into the context of the team, whose 264 shots in 2025-26 is the third fewest in the Premier League.
The additional space he believes the Premier League affords players can also manifest itself in build-up influence.
Le Fée’s 15 secondary chances created (the pass before the pass setting up an opportunity) in open play puts him 19th out of 71 Premier League midfielders this term and speaks to his ability to find teammates in promising attacking positions even if he’s not necessarily the one teeing up the eventual shot. His three secondary assists is bettered by just six midfielders.
“I’m enjoying my time here. I really like that I feel the way we play in England is totally my way,” he says.
Le Fée unequivocally feels he operates best as a number eight, though he has been used in a host of midfield and wide roles, both at Sunderland and throughout his career.
While he very much doubts his capacity to be “the best winger in the world”, playing as an eight allows him a certain amount of freedom to take up central and wide positions. Drifting out wide provides opportunities to whip in devilish crosses, of which he is very capable, whereas his neat lay-offs and link-up abilities help make him effective in narrower areas.
Playing as an eight also gives Le Fée chances to push forward.
As such, he carries influence in build-up, chance creation and being a goal threat, with the table below showing how only Granit Xhaka has been involved in more shot-ending open-play sequences than Le Fée among Sunderland players in the league this season.
Le Fée’s responsibilities in the Sunderland team go beyond just the way he plays. Although only 26 years old, Le Fée is among the most experienced members of a young squad.
Sunderland have had the fourth-youngest average starting XI (25 years, 248 days) in the Premier League this season; they were the youngest (23y, 319d) in the Championship during 2024-25, as they were in 2023-24 (22y, 350d) and 2022-23 (24y, 164d) as well, making any modicum of experience all the more precious.But even as one of the team’s most important figures, Le Fée still sees plenty of others in the group for him to look up to as well.
“Oh, a lot,” he replies when asked how much of a difference someone like Xhaka makes. “But I think Reinildo as well has a big career behind him, Nordi [Mukiele] as well, and Omar [Alderete], and we’ve got a mix as well with some guys who were here in League One.”
That combination of backgrounds and outlooks, complemented by promising young players, Le Fée considers to be “the best mix”.
Yash Thakur /Those who’ve enjoyed tangible success push all to reach “the top”, he adds, whereas those who’ve risen with the club bring a certain groundedness and appreciation for what’s been achieved.
And although there remains a good chuck of the 2025-26 season to go, achieved – past tense – does feel applicable. Sunderland’s 36 points puts them within touching distance of almost-certain survival.
Only three teams have ever been relegated at the end of a 38-game Premier League season with 40+ points, whereas no team have gone down with more than 42. They’ve 11 games to get themselves out of reach.
Let’s not forget, just avoiding relegation would’ve been seen as a big shock for Sunderland at the start of the season. They came up via the play-offs and their squad was deemed the least likely to compete at the top level.
Having seen all of the promoted teams go straight back down in the prior two Premier League campaigns, many wrote Sunderland off as soon as their ascension was confirmed.
The difference between those clubs and Sunderland?
“Ambition,” Le Fée said with confidence. “Every club has ambition when they come up to the Premier League, of course, but you have to work on it, and it must be your main word. I think [Sunderland] showed everyone their ambition with the players they brought in, even showing it to us inside the club.”
Le Fée credits Sunderland with creating “the best environment”. He means for the collective, but his comments can also fit his specific situation with respect to linking up again with Le Bris having previously endured frustrating times at Rennes and Roma.
There is of course still a considerable amount of 2025-26 to go, and it’s possible for the perception of Sunderland’s campaign to change slightly in that time. For Le Fée, however, there’s a sense he’s found a league he truly belongs in.
Ultimately, Le Fée’s move to Sunderland proved a significant turning point in his career. After overcoming several setbacks, he’s now an influential talent at an ambitious club and playing for a manager who knows him better than anyone.
Sunderland’s future is still unfolding, but it’s not hyperbolic to suggest Le Fée could be a pivotal factor in their aspirations beyond 2025-26, offering a glimmer of hope that – with the right support – his star can shine even brighter than it ever did in France.
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Enzo Le Fée Exclusive Interview: Reunited with Régis Le Bris, Reborn in England Opta Analyst.
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