Granted, earlier in the campaign, the Norwegian was limited to little more than the odd cameo role in the latter stages of contests—a couple of minutes here and there in which he was introduced as an extra body capable of heading speculative balls into Sunderland’s penalty area back from whence they came in a bid to preserve narrow leads.
Over the past week or so, however, Hjelde has been entrusted with a more prominent billing, and the early signs are that he is increasingly ready to step up to the plate. Both of the defender’s starts in the league this season have come in each of Sunderland’s past two outings, and on both occasions, he has looked convincingly at home. Against Sheffield Wednesday, he wasn’t exactly spectacular, and there is a strong argument to be made that he got away with a blatant handball that should have resulted in a penalty, but the 21-year-old was solid enough, and he also managed to lay on the assist for Eliezer Mayenda’s opener.
Then, against Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon, Hjelde showed glimpses of a whole other gear again; he linked up splendidly with Romaine Mundle and Jobe Bellingham out on the left flank on numerous occasions, repeatedly anticipated and quelled danger with relative ease, and generally provided an imposing and dependable presence at the back before being hooked for Dennis Cirkin just before the hour mark. Perhaps the biggest compliment you could pay him is that he didn’t look like a player making only his second start of the league campaign.
And these past two performances from the defender are particularly pleasing when considered within the context of Cirkin’s current role—and uncertain future—on Wearside. For a long time now, there has been a broad consensus around the Stadium of Light that Sunderland were lacking reliable cover in full-back areas. Indeed, when the Black Cats didn’t make a move to sign an obvious deputy to Cirkin—or Trai Hume on the opposite flank, for that matter—during the January transfer window, there were many who felt as if it was a missed opportunity that could come back to haunt Regis Le Bris’ squad during their promotion run-in. Hjelde’s showings in recent days have surely gone some way towards alleviating those worries.
Meanwhile, in the medium to long term, Hjelde’s emergence as a potential and proper first team option also feels timely given the ongoing transfer speculation surrounding his fellow left-back at the present moment. As recently as last week, the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea were both being credited with simmering interest in Cirkin, and while Sunderland are presumably keen to fend off any such attention, the fact that the 22-year-old has entered the final 18 months of his contract will represent a lingering concern until he signs an extension.
None of this is to say that Hjelde would automatically succeed Cirkin if he were to depart at the end of the season, but at the very least, there must surely be a growing belief at the Academy of Light that the Norwegian youth international can ease some of the stress of finding a prospective replacement by playing a meaningful role going forward.
In any eventuality, at a crucial juncture in the season during which you suspect Le Bris will need as many viable options at his disposal as he can lay his hands on, Hjelde must now be regarded as another steady shoulder at the wheel. That can only be a good thing.
