New signing Aji Alese is ready to make a fresh start on Wearside and show Sunderland fans what he is capable of. The Black Cats completed the signing of defender Alese from West Ham last week, and his switch shocked fans in East London who saw one of their brightest academy talents depart.
But West Ham's loss is Sunderland's gain, and 21-year-old Alese has joined the Black Cats knowing he will get more first team opportunities in the Championship than he would with the Hammers in the Premier League. Asked about the Hammers' fans reaction to his departure, he said: "I wasn't aware of that but that's nice to know.
"It's always nice to be admired wherever you are but I've left West Ham now and it's time to show the Sunderland fans what I can do. Now I'm here in Sunderland I'm just going to try my best, help out the team and play for the fans."
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Alese has played alongside Sunderland's Dan Neil for England U20, and also knows former Arsenal defender Dan Ballard and London-born Jay Matete from his time in the capital, and he was attracted by the prospect of playing for a club where young talent is being given a chance to thrive.
And of the increased first team opportunities on offer at Sunderland, Alese added: "Yeah 100 percent, and whenever you see young players doing well and thriving at a club you know that’s somewhere you'd like to be. I knew Dan [Neil] and Dan [Ballard] and Jay [Matete] and they've been doing well here so it kind of attracted me towards the club."
Alese had a whirlwind introduction, signing last Friday and immediately heading to Scotland with the squad for a friendly against Dundee United on the Saturday, when he made his debut as a substitute. He then started Tuesday's friendly at Bradford City.
Alese said: "It's been a crazy four or five days and I've just been stuck in a hotel and literally trained twice and featured in two games. It's been a busy few days.
"It's been a little bit difficult but at the same time it's probably better to be travelling with the squad and in matches because the best way to learn how my teammates play and to get to know them in training sessions, rather than being at home. It's definitely easier that way."
The move itself came virtually out of the blue, with little - if any - of the usual speculation that surrounds the arrival of a new player at Sunderland.
He said: "It was all done very quick and I think that's what Sunderland wanted to do, they wanted to keep it under wraps and get it done as quick as possible. When the contact was made I knew that I wanted to come here and it was all done very quickly."
Alese plays as a left-sided centre-back but can also operate at left-back, with head coach Alex Neil saying he brings good balance to the side as a natural left-footer. "I'm happy to play wherever the gaffer wants me to play, I'm happy to go and do a job there," said Alese.
"Obviously, preferably on the left-hand side but I'm happy to give it a go and give 100 percent wherever I'm put."
Alese spent a spell on loan with Accrington Stanley in League One in 2019-20 - making his league debut against Sunderland in a 3-1 Black Cats win at the Crown Ground in September 2019 - and he could come up against the Lancashire side this weekend when the Wearsiders head there for their latest pre-season friendly on Saturday. He said: "I haven't been back there since I left so it will be nice to go there and see some familiar faces.
"I'm finding out very quickly that football is a very small world and a few weeks ago I wouldn't have said I'll be at Sunderland and going to Accy on the weekend. I just have to look forward to that and get ready for that."
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