Phil Smith gives an overview of the deals Sunderland have been linked with this summer and what fans can expect as a result
You could be forgiven for struggling to keep up.
Since Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League they have been linked with a raft of potential transfer recruits, and that tally of players will before long pass into three figures. Now of course, some of those links will be spurious and some will be a simple case of a background enquiry then reported as a potential interest. Especially at this early stage of the window when done deals are few and far between, it's best not to get carried away. By analysis what is being reported by credible sources however, and tallying that up with what we're hearing here on Wearside, we can begin to build a picture of what Sunderland's plans look like...
Sunderland are primarily looking abroad for value
In the aftermath of Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League, former boss Gus Poyet gave an indication into the club's early thinking. Poyet of course has close links with the club's ownership, a friend of board member and minority shareholder Juan Sartori.
"I think they're going to try and find key players, very, very specific players," Poyet told The Echo.
"I think they're going to probably be mostly, there will be exceptions, but it will mostly be Belgium, France, Switzerland... maybe a little bit Germany. I think these are the characteristics of the players that they have been using and it has been working. It will obviously be a help that the coach knows these leagues very, very well."
That was also backed up by Kristjaan Speakman, who revealed last week that he had just returned from a whistle stop trip to three different countries to meet potential recruits.
That Sunderland are looking to the continent for recruits is very obvious in the initial stages of the window. They are known to be assessing Dynamo Kyiv's Vladyslav Vanat, Sassuolo's Armand Laurienté, Lyon's Duje Ćaleta-Car and have been credited in recent days with an interest in AS Roma's Angelino. Sunderland have long held the view that looking abroad can deliver better value than here in the UK and it's notable that links to top Championship players and potential Premier League players on the move this summer have been minimal. Of course Sunderland may dip into those markets at times, but it's clear where they are looking to invest the biggest elements of their budget.
That is only strengthened by their move to bring in former AS Roma sporting director Florent Ghisolfi, who is expected to work with Speakman on recruitment. Having also worked as the sporting director at RC Lens and OGC Nice, Ghisolfi will bring a vast contacts book and a strong knowledge of the European market in particular. Add the contacts of head coach Régis Le Bris and owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus to the mix, and it's clear to see the areas where Sunderland will feel they can get the edge on their rivals.
Sunderland are targeting slightly more experienced players
Speakman said earlier this summer that Sunderland would stay true to their principles but that they recognised just how big a jump it is from Championship to Premier League level, and that their strategy would have to be tweaker accordingly. It's therefore no coincidence that the bulk of their potential recruits are are little bit older. Laurienté, for example, is 26 and is closing in on 200 senior appearances. Ćaleta-Car and Angelino are both 28 and have a vast number of top-tier games under their belt.
Even some of the younger players that Sunderland have been assessing, such as Brondby midfielder Clement Bischoff (19), already have experience of top-tier football.
There's absolutely no doubt that Sunderland will use the financial benefits of promotion to try and sign youngsters who they believe they can develop and grow in time. Indeed, being a Premier League club will open up new opportunities to sign players who previously they would have thought of their reach. Don't expect there to be a significant change on that front. However, the early indications are they are also very keen to add players who will go pretty much straight into the starting XI. At Premier League level, that generally requires a certain level of experience.
Sunderland are targeting quality over quantity
Sunderland are in a very strong position financially through a combination of promotion and the sales of Jobe Bellingham and Tommy Watson. Still, we know that they do not have limitless resources and that they are determined not to overstretch themselves financially. Crucially, they're determined not to saddle the club with bad contracts that can hamper them in future years. The lessons of the club's last spell in the Premier League and what came after have been heeded.
The links so far therefore paint a clear picture of a club looking to invest significantly in four or five key players, who can join the core of last season's team and lift the level immediately. Beyond that they might well use the loan and free agent market to build the depth and experience of the squad. Expect Sunderland to invest in a manner we haven't seen for many years this summer, but the bulk of that will likely go on a handful of key players.
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