Exclusive: Lee Hendrie urges Sunderland to keep 21-year-old amid Portsmouth & European interest | OneFootball

Nectarios Triantis has enjoyed a strong loan stint with Hibernian, and he could be primed to make an impact now with the Black Cats

Lee Hendrie has urged Sunderland to retain the services of Nectarios Triantis heading into next season as the defender begins to attract interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

The 21-year-old defender/midfielder is currently nearing the conclusion of his second loan spell with SPFL side, Hibernian, having spent the second half of last season on loan at Easter Road, with David Gray eager to keep the Australian in Edinburgh for the long-term.

Meanwhile, Triantis' current employers are vying to end their eight-year exile from the Premier League, having secured a play-off place for the second time in three seasons following promotion from League One via the exact same route back in 2021/22.

Regis Le Bris has, for the majority of the campaign, got a strong tune out of a youthful side at the Stadium of Light, with transfer speculation continuing to surround the likes of prized assets such as Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham in the Frenchman's midfield engine room.

And, despite only making a handful of appearances for the Black Cats since initially joining the club from Central Coast Mariners shortly after their previous post-season campaign under Tony Mowbray almost two years ago, the Sky Sports pundit believes the Australian could have a big part to play on Wearside in the years to come.

Lee Hendrie urges Sunderland to swerve Nectarios Triantis transfer interest as Hibernian plot permanent move

Triantis has made just five appearances for Sunderland since his £300,000 move on a four-year deal from the Gold Coast side in June 2023, with his only Championship start and full 90 minutes coming in a 3-1 victory against Birmingham City four months later.

The four-time international for the Socceroos' Under-23's side then moved to the Scottish capital on loan last January as Hibs ended the season in eighth place, before re-joining the club for a second temporary stint last August.

Despite naturally being a centre-back, Triantis has ventured into a deep-lying midfield role for the majority of the season, with Gray's outfit returning to Europe in some descript after being defeated by Aston Villa in the play-off round of the UEFA Conference League last season.

Subsequently, the Northern Echo report that his temporary employers will push to secure his services on a permanent basis and use European qualification as a key motive, with his stellar performances that have included three goals and six assists leading to a nomination for the Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year award.

And whilst it has also emerged that Sunderland's divisional rivals, Portsmouth, were and still remain keen on the Aussie heading into next season, as well as interest from across Europe, as per journalist Dan Marsh, Hendrie believes Triantis' current and long-term potential would only benefit the Mackems in the long run.

"Hibs, obviously hoping for (the strongest) European football, and they have the services of young Sunderland defender Triantis," he exclusively told Football League World.

"Obviously, he's a young talent that's definitely got bags of potential, creativity. He's got goals in him and had a good season up at Hibs.

"The luxury of maybe trying to play in Europe and forecasting your skills and flair might suit him better. Will Sunderland stand in his way? That's the big question," Hendrie added.

"Is he going to feature in that Sunderland side? They're a young side that are certainly up and coming, I think he'd fit the bill to come back to Sunderland and play a big part," the pundit claimed.

"Obviously managers have different ideas and whether he's gone out to strengthen or he's gone to Scotland to get that feel-factor which he's had a taste of.

"It'll be an interesting one, whether they do stand in his way, because you do feel letting young players go early on, and then they go and perform in European competitions.

"It's a big thing for a football club to let players like that go," Hendrie explained. "I think he might've gone out to have that taste, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't let him go.

"I think they'd set their sights on maybe keeping him for next season after the season he's had up there," the former Aston Villa midfielder concluded.

Given the initial fee and four-year contract that was agreed when the defender moved to Wearside, it is clear that the Black Cats saw Triantis as a long-term investment and one which could go on to make the club a profit in the years to come.

And, whilst he has enjoyed a successful season with Hibs, his long-term future at the Stadium of Light could hinge on his parent club's fortunes in the play-offs, as Le Bris has previously discussed the potential permanent signing of Welsh centre-back Chris Mepham, as well as the hefty investment which Kyril Louis-Dreyfus would have to plow into the squad if promotion was achieved.

If Triantis wasn't guaranteed regular minutes on Wearside, then the most attractive offer could come from Hibs given their European status, although many have often drawn comparisons to the competiveness of the Scottish top-flight and English second-tier, which could play on his mind as Pompey's interest resurfaces.