Forget the chaos of old. Sunderland are spending – but this time, there’s a plan behind the money...
When Sunderland last played Premier League football in 2017, £13.6million was enough to break the club's transfer record. That fee brought in Didier Ndong. Before him, it was £13million for Asamoah Gyan. Jeremain Lens and Steven Fletcher weren’t far behind. And that was seen as spending big.
Fast-forward to 2025, and those same numbers wouldn’t even land you a Championship starlet with Premier League potential. That tells you everything you need to know about how the Premier League has changed – and how Sunderland have had to change too.
In truth, it’s not just the money being spent that stands out – it’s how and when it’s being spent. The Black Cats have made a bold early move for Habib Diarra, a highly rated Senegal international, for a club-record £30million. It’s a significant leap – and an equally significant statement of intent.
And it doesn’t appear to be a one-off. Sunderland have already shelled out around £20million for midfielder Enzo Le Fée, with strong suggestions they’re also pursuing a deal for Nice stopper Martin Bulka at around £18million. It is expected that Sunderland will target another goalkeeper at a similar price if Bulka decides to choose Saudi Arabia over the Premier League. Armand Laurienté, valued at £17million, is another name high on the list.
That’s a potential transfer fee outlay of £85million on four key players to kick things off this summer if all goes well - a staggering figure for a club that not long ago was scouring the free agent market, and that is before considering the money used to complete the free agent signing of Reinildo. It underlines not only the scale of Sunderland’s ambition, but how much the game – and the club’s thinking – has evolved. Diarra turning down other Premier League “projects” to come to Wearside suggests Sunderland’s pitch is now a compelling one. That hasn’t always been the case.
Because for years, Sunderland lurched from one failed idea to the next. From Ellis Short’s knee-jerk decisions to Margaret Byrne’s missteps, from Roberto De Fanti to Martin Bain – and that’s before even mentioning the revolving door of managers – this was a club without identity or direction. Desperate just to survive, they overpaid players who didn’t really want to be there, with no clear plan for how to grow or improve. Looking back, it’s remarkable Sunderland lasted ten straight seasons in the top flight. Now, the picture is very, very different.
There’s value in choosing a plan and actually sticking to it. That’s what’s happening now. The likes of Kristjaan Speakman, Stuart Harvey, Régis Le Bris, and soon Florent Ghisolfi are pulling in the same direction. Each has a defined role, a clear belief in the project, and – crucially – trust in one another. Ghisolfi, a highly regarded operator who rejected interest from Juventus, Fiorentina and Newcastle to join Sunderland, brings yet more strategic firepower to a setup already showing its intelligence. Le Bris’ input clearly carries weight, and that alignment at the top is powerful. It creates a sense that everyone – staff, players, supporters – is on the same page.
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It might not be enough to keep Sunderland in the division this season. The Premier League is brutal and unforgiving. But you get the sense that, at the very least, the club are giving it a proper go – and doing so with a plan. This isn’t a club operating on the whims of just one individual anymore. This is a club that’s done the groundwork. One that’s spent three years building smartly – prioritising youth, identity, and sustainability. Like Brighton. Like Brentford.
So yes, £30million is a huge fee. But in today’s Premier League, that’s the going rate for serious ambition. And Sunderland could be about to spend nearly three times that. Eight years ago, the club’s biggest outlays brought chaos and relegation. In 2025, they might just bring control, clarity and survival. Here’s hoping, anyway.
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