It could be an exciting week to follow Sunderland as the club close in on some key transfer deals
It looks set to be the week that Sunderland's 2025/26 campaign truly begins in earnest, and an exciting one for the club's supporters.
After a well-earned break following that remarkable play-off campaign, Sunderland's playing squad will return for pre-season testing at the Academy of Light this Friday before training begins fully next week. It looks highly likely at this stage that the ranks will be bolstered by the arrival of at least one new player, with the club's summer transfer business taking major strides forward over the weekend.
Sunderland agreed what is set to be by some distance a club record fee with RC Strasbourg to sign Senegal international Habib Diarra late on Friday night, with the 21-year-old undergoing a medical in Paris and agreeing what is believed to be a five-year contract. Diarra had significant interest not just from within the Premier League but from top tiers across Europe, with AC Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt believed to be monitoring his availability. Sunderland have moved quickly and decisively to meet Strasbourg's asking price, and it's thought that at this stage it is simply a case of confirming the transfer. The fee is a significant one, and a reflection of the club's strategy this summer: using their bolstered financial position to addd players with both the capacity to improve the team immediately but still with room for development as a player.
Diarra may not be the only arrival this week, as the club are also believed to be close to completing the signing Reinildo Mandava. A Ligue 1 winner with Lille, Reinildo has spent the last two seasons with Atletico Madrid but his contract there is about to expire and the Black Cats are leading the race to sign him. While Sunderland's transfer model focuses primarily on signing young players with resale value, they have always used the free agent market to add depth and experience to their squad and this is another example of that. A proven, reliable left-back at the top level with well over 200 career appearances to his name, the 31-year-old will add experience and quality to Sunderland's defensive options.
Saudi Arabian club Neom have made a late push for Marcin Bulka and so the Black Cats may yet have to brave themselves for disappointment in that particular pursuit, but with Sunderland pushing hard to bolster their ranks ahead of pre-season developments on other targets seem likely.
The major behind-the-scenes move that could also be announced this week
Sunderland could also confirm the arrival of Florent Ghisolfi as their new director of football this week, and that move could yet be the most significant of all. The Black Cats have been finalising the terms of Ghisolfi's arrival and going through all the necessary administrative procedures required, with a resolution expected as pre-season nears. Formerly a sporting director at AS Roma, OGN Nice and RC Lens, it's clear that Ghisolfi will be arriving in a very prominent role behind the scenes at the Stadium of Light.
While sources have been clear that the move does not impact Kristjaan Speakman's future and that Ghisolfi's arrival is about bolstering the club's infrastructure, the move will likely be the most significant development in terms of Sunderland's behind-the-scenes operation since Speakman himself in 2020. How the roles in the new structure are outlined and how the responsibilities will be shared will give us a big indication of how the club intends to operate moving forward both for the rest of this transfer window and beyond.
It's a fascinating and exciting time to be following Sunderland, and what is set to be one of the busiest and most significant summers in recent memory is now truly getting started.
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