Gateshead-born Dan Barlaser is preparing for an interesting summer and has been training in Sunderland
Middlesbrough midfielder Dan Barlaser has been spotted back in the North East, training in Sunderland with CL Football Coaching as he looks to stay sharp ahead of what could be a defining summer in his career.
Barlaser, 27, linked up with coaches Carl Lawson and Rees Greenwood for a session in the Sunderland area, joining a growing list of professionals using the off-season to keep fit and fine-tune their game. Leeds United’s Sam Greenwood has also worked with the coaching group in recent weeks, as have former Sunderland players Elliot Embleton, Denver Hume and Bali Mumba.
The former Newcastle United academy graduate made just 21 Championship appearances under Michael Carrick last season and was heavily linked with a January switch to Derby County while Paul Warne was in charge. Though the move didn’t materialise, questions remain over Barlaser’s long-term future at the Riverside.
Carrick’s recent departure has only added to the uncertainty. With Rod Edwards reportedly in line to become Middlesbrough’s next head coach, Barlaser, who joined Boro from Rotherham United in January 2023, now faces a potentially pivotal pre-season as he looks to establish his role in the squad.
Barlaser’s career to date has seen him climb through the ranks at Newcastle before enjoying standout spells on loan at Accrington Stanley and Rotherham, where he was later signed permanently and made over 100 appearances. He joined Middlesbrough in a deal thought to be undisclosed, but was tipped as a key midfield option under Carrick.
Whether he fits into the plans of Boro’s next boss if it all alongside Derby County’s current stance on the midfielder remains to be seen, but the midfielder is clearly putting the work in early, and doing so on familiar North East turf.
What Sunderland-related transfer news is there?
Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move to re-sign Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin this summer, according to reports, as the North London club scramble to meet UEFA squad regulations ahead of their return to the Champions League.
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It has been claimed that Cirkin is one of several former Spurs academy players being monitored as new head coach Thomas Frank plans for the 2025–26 campaign. Cirkin, now 23, was a key figure in Sunderland’s promotion-winning season, making 39 appearances as Régis Le Bris’ side returned to the Premier League via the play-offs. The defender has just 12 months remaining on his contract at the Stadium of Light, and his future remains uncertain heading into the final year of his deal.
Tottenham are facing pressure to comply with UEFA’s squad registration rules, which require every Champions League side to name at least four ‘club-trained’ players – footballers who spent at least three full seasons with the club between the ages of 15 and 21.
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