Hemir and Juventus — an odd match made in heaven?!

Filippo ‘Pippo’ Inzaghi, John Charles, Gianluca Vialli, David Trezeguet, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alessandro del Piero, Hemir.

Yes. You did read that correctly.

Luis Hemir Semedo Silva is now a Juventus player — at least for 2024/2025, as after a challenging debut season and in one of the most unexpected Stadium of Light exits in recent times, the Portuguese striker has headed for Turin for a season-long loan on the books of La Vecchia Signore.

The sight of the young striker holding up the legendary black and white striped shirt of the Italian aristocrats was quite an image on Saturday evening, but we should be smart to the possibility of nothing being beyond the realm of possibility when it comes to Sunderland, and this was one to file away as one of the most incredible transfers yet.

What kind of role the former Benfica prodigy will play in Italy remains to be seen, but it’ll be interesting to find out and although it might be tempting to mock such a move and to ask questions such as ‘How the hell have we pulled this off?’, I do think there’s much to be optimistic about- for both the player and Sunderland.

Hemir’s debut campaign on Wearside was one that initially promised a great deal following some encouraging performances during pre-season, but it eventually ended badly as things went off the rails, with Semedo being reduced to a fringe role at best as our season slowly fell apart amid turbulence in the dugout, a lack of cohesion on the pitch, and apathy in the stands.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

This isn’t to say that there wasn’t a good deal of backing for the striker from the fans, and I also think that the vast majority of our supporters will wish him well in Italy.

As early as the trip to QPR last season, he was clearly being taken to the hearts of the red and white faithful, and had he converted a good chance during the riotous 5-0 home demolition of Southampton, perhaps he could’ve kicked on and made a similar impact to that of Eliezer Mayenda under the watchful eye of Régis Le Bris.

Hemir’s struggles last season seemed to be borne out of a combination of a lack of confidence and an environment that wasn’t conducive to the development of young talents. As the pressure increased, of our summer intake of 2023, only Jobe really rose to the challenge, with several others fading badly.

As you might’ve expected, questions regarding his attitude and application were never far away, but a footballer’s psyche is like an iceberg: as fans, we only see a small percentage of it for ninety minutes a week, and only Hemir himself knows the scale of the struggle he went through, and whether he’s got the appetite to make up for lost time away from the Stadium of Light.

As unlikely as it might’ve seemed, I do believe that a season spent in Italy will be enormously beneficial for Hemir.

In an environment where his development can be monitored and regular football offered, he has a great chance to get back on track, find his form, and show why we decided to bring him to Wearside last summer.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Getty Images

There is a talented footballer here. I’ve got no doubts about that, and I’d like to think that there’s a future for Hemir on Wearside, but if not, all won’t be lost for the youngster.

If players aren’t quite making the grade at Sunderland, it’s vital that they’re helped to make moves that can get them back on track, and this feels like a prime example.

Following a disappointing loan spell at Hibernian during 2023/2024, Mayenda has returned to Sunderland looking like a new player entirely, and who’s to say the same can’t happen to Hemir? It’s all within his hands, and he still has plenty of time on his side.

On the other hand, if the decision is made to part ways with him next summer, I’m sure the hierarchy will do everything in their power to ensure that his future is secured.

Being loaned to one of the world’s most prestigious and renowned clubs is a tremendously exciting opportunity and I’m sure Hemir’s progress will be monitored closely, hopefully with continued dialogue between our coaches and those in Italy.

Sunderland have enjoyed a blistering start to the league season and it’s a shame that Hemir won’t be involved during 2024/2025, but this feels like the best possible alternative and it’ll hopefully represent a genuine step forward for a striker who, like many before him, endured a real baptism of fire after arriving in English football.

Good luck, Luis, and be sure to grab the opportunity with both hands!