A number of Sunderland players are set to be out of contract next year
Part of Sunderland’s success in recent seasons has been based on a tendency to tie down their most prized assets to decent length contracts wherever possible.
The Black Cats have made a habit of securing the futures of key players, and many members of Regis Le Bris’ current squad are indeed in relatively stable positions with regards to their current deals.
But there are also several talents who are set to be out of contract in 2026, as things stand. We’ve taken a closer look at those names below...
Blondy Nna Noukeu
Still yet to make his first team debut on Wearside, Sunderland’s third choice goalkeeper is out of contract in 2026 - although the club do retain the option of extending his stay by another year.
Nathan Bishop
Bishop has never really made much of an impact on Wearside, and it would be no great surprise to see him leave before his contract expires next summer.
Simon Moore
Moore has been a willing deputy when called upon since arriving at the Stadium of Light, and is evidently a well-liked member of the Black Cats’ dressing room. Whether Sunderland see fit to extend the 35-year-old’s contract, however, remains to be seen.
Luke O’Nien
A modern day Mr. Sunderland, O’Nien is technically out of contract next summer, but the club do retain the option to offer him a further year if they wish. At the present moment in time, it is hard to imagine them passing up on that clause.
Joe Anderson
Predominantly consigned to the U21s in recent months, Anderson has struggled to make his mark for Sunderland, and like Bishop, could quite easily be shipped out before the prospect of his contract expiring becomes an issue.
Dennis Cirkin
One of the key players on this list who Sunderland will be desperate to tie down to a long-term contract as soon as possible. The left-back has been a vital presence for the Black Cats in recent seasons, and with transfer speculation never too far away, securing his future will presumably be high on the club’s agenda this summer.
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Niall Huggins
Evidently a huge talent, Huggins has been blighted by injury during his time in the North East. Now closing in on a return to fitness, the hope will be that he can play his part in the Premier League, and that he can convince Sunderland into offering an extended contract.
Dan Neil
Like Cirkin, Neil is an integral first team figure in a precarious contract situation. The Sunderland skipper is surely a candidate for a new deal this summer, but with the likes of Italian giants AS Roma reportedly circling, his future on Wearside remains a point of worrying uncertainty.
Jay Matete
The midfielder has been loaned out repeatedly during his time on the books at Sunderland, and with his current deal set to run out in 2026, the prospect of a permanent exit this summer cannot be ruled out.
Patrick Roberts
A real mainstay of this Sunderland side, and one who has stuck with the club throughout their journey from League One all the way up to the Premier League. It is understood that the Black Cats do retain the option of extending his contract by a further year, but as things stand, Roberts’ deal is set to expire in 2026.
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