Sunderland flop Charis Mavrias is still hoping he can enjoy a good pre-season with the first-team and resurrect his career at the Stadium of Light.

The Greece international joined the Premier League outfit from Panathinaikos in 2013 on a three-year contract but the opportunities have been limited ever since.

The 21-year-old made just four appearances in the top-flight in his debut campaign and, after failing to make a single outing in the first half of the 2014/15 season, the winger joined his former club on loan in January.

Mavrias featured just nine times for Panathinaikos and recently arrived back at the Stadium of Light for pre-season training ahead of the new campaign, which starts on August 8.

Dick Advocaat, who took temporary charge of the Black Cats at the end of last season, took the job on a permanent basis this summer and the Dutchman has already added Sebastian Coates and Adam Matthews to his squad.

The future of Mavrias appears to be away from Sunderland but the winger is hoping he can impress the new manager and find a way back into the first-team on a regular basis.

“This is my third year in Sunderland and the second where I get to be substantially involved in pre-season from the outset,” he said. “I think it’s time to get a chance to show I can count, otherwise if you don’t do this we will see what happens in the future.

“I need to get playing time under my feet and show what I can offer. Definitely my priority right now is Sunderland.”

Sunderland open their season with an away trip to currently managerless Leicester City, who sacked Nigel Pearson recently, but the Black Cats are still outsiders to take all three points at 4.00.

The Foxes, who are priced at 5.00 to be relegated, are 1.95 to start the new campaign off in winning ways.