Sunderland has had a fairly uneven season thus far, performing well at the beginning of the league season but collapsing in the latter stages.
Hume, however, has been a constant; so far this season, the Northern Ireland international has participated in all 38 of the Black Cats’ Championship games.
Although he has mostly played right back, he has occasionally demonstrated his versatility by playing center back.
Hume disclosed earlier in the season that, among other Premier League full-backs, he finds inspiration in Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool.
Trai Hume career so far
Perhaps one of Sunderland’s more underappreciated acquisitions during the Kyril Louis-Dreyfus period is Hume.
He was brought in from Northern Irish team Linfield for a reputed sum of just £200,000 when the club was still in League One.
Hume, who has a contract that runs until 2027, made his debut in the Championship last season, appearing 30 times and contributing two goals and two assists.
This time around, he has one goal and one assist, but Hume excels at goal contortions more than anything else.
Trai Hume has most tackles in the Championship this season
The 22-year-old Hume has the most tackles in the Championship this season, according to data gathered from FBREF.
Hume has made 80 tackles so far, which is more than twice as many as any of his Sunderland teammates and 13 more than anyone else in the Championship.
Remarkably, 65 of those have occurred in the defensive third—the highest total of any player in the Championship.
Hume also tops the list for the most player tackles, with 127, 32 more than any other player in the league this year.
Sunderland gem Trai Hume emerging as a top talent
Any Sunderland supporter will talk extensively about Hume.
He is already a fan favorite due to his work ethic and enthusiasm, and his skill as a defender only serves to increase his appeal.
He defends Sunderland on the right flank and has faced some of the best wingers in the Championship this year.
However, the fact that he has outscored the league in tackles this season indicates that he is making it extremely difficult for opposing teams to get through that right channel.
Though not the biggest player, he’s proven to be quite physical and strong in the 50/50s. He’s also a highly agile player, making him difficult to get past.
Sunderland, led by Mike Dodds, are currently in a bit of a mess.
However, Hume is a player who is always dependable, and the team will require more in the future.
Furthermore, a team bidding for Hume this summer or in upcoming transfer windows can expect to make a nice profit on the player.