Sunderland have eight league games remaining this season – while the club’s recruitment team will already be looking ahead to the summer transfer window.
The Black Cats were tracking several players during the January transfer window and are bound to be linked with more names in the coming months. For fun, following recent speculation, we’ve put together a possible Sunderland starting XI and bench if the rumours turn out to be true:
5. LB: Dennis Cirkin
There was Premier League interest in the 21-year-old defender last term, yet he's missed most of this season due to injuries. Cirkin also signed a new three-year contract at Sunderland last year, extending his deal until the summer of 2026. The full-back will be a big asset if he can rediscover the form he showed last season. Photo: Frank Reid
6. CM: Dan Neil
While Neil's impressive performances will have attracted interest this season, the Sunderland academy graduate agreed a new deal on Wearside last year, which will run until the summer of 2026. The 22-year-old has talked about his desire to reach the Premier League with his boyhood club Photo: Frank Reid
7. CM: Skelly Alvero
French newspaper L’Equipe claimed Sunderland enquired about the 21-year-old midfielder in January, yet Alvero signed for German side Werder Bremen on loan from Lyon instead. Bremen have an option to make the deal permanent at the end of this season. Still, the Frenchman has only made five appeaances off the bench since his move to Germany. Photo: Stuart Franklin
8. RW: Liam Millar
Millar has impressed on loan at Preston this season, scoring five goals and providing five assists during a loan spell from Swiss side Basel. It was claimed in January that Sunderland had identified the 24-year-old as a potential replacement for Jack Clarke. The Black Cats have turned down multiple offers for Clarke over the last year and will face a big challenge to keep him this summer. Photo: George Wood