Northern Ireland international Corry Evans has revealed Trai Hume “impressed me straight away” after arriving at Sunderland from Linfield and watched on proudly as the defender developed into “one of the real leaders” at the Stadium of Light.

Hume has enjoyed a sensational rise from plying his trade in the Irish League to becoming a Premier League footballer after helping Sunderland seal a return to England’s top-flight following play-off final glory over Sheffield United last season.

The 23-year-old, who racked up senior appearances for Ballymena United and the Blues before earning his move across the water, is now a crucial player at both club and international level, collecting 22 caps for Northern Ireland so far.

Hume has played a role in two Sunderland promotions having been part of a squad, which was captained by Evans, that sealed their spot in the Championship by beating Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley in 2022.

placeholder image — Former Sunderland team-mates Corry Evans and Trai Hume also shared the international pitch together for Northern Ireland. (Photo by William Cherry/Presseye)

He made 44 league appearances for Regis Le Bris’ side last term, scoring three goals and providing six assists, and played every minute of their play-off run which culminated with a dramatic victory over the Blades last month.

Alongside international team-mate Dan Ballard, Hume will take his spot amongst the elite next season, coming up against the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal, and Evans watched his rise closely from the early stages.

“So I just heard that we were signing a boy from Linfield, and I was asking a few people, ‘What’s he like?’. He came in and impressed me straight away in training,” Evans, who left Sunderland in 2024, told the club’s website. “You could just see that he was a real footballer.

"He understood the game, technically really good, loved a tackle, competitive.

“He was probably quite shy and reserved when he came in, but I think over the few years that we had together, you could just see him grow - as a player and as a person.

"He started coming out of his shell and ended up becoming one of the real leaders in the team by the time I left.”

Hume’s leadership qualities have also been evident on the international stage with Michael O’Neill naming him captain on four occasions across the past 12 months, including in a friendly double-header against Denmark and Iceland earlier this month.

He joins Conor Bradley (Liverpool) and Justin Devenny (Crystal Palace) in the Premier League – another major boost for Northern Ireland – and Evans, who was previously on the books of Manchester United alongside older brother Jonny, believes Hume has the quality to thrive.

“Credit to him and to his family again - they’ve raised a great boy there,” added Evans. “I love Trai to bits, and obviously he’s still consistently doing it now for club and country.

“He’s the type of player and character you want in your dressing room any day of the week.

"He’ll back you up to the hilt, he’ll give you his all, and he’s obviously got the quality to go with it.”