Sunderland concluded nine deals on deadline day but their work isn’t quite done
The Premier League transfer window has officially closed but Sunderland might still seal some outgoing business in the coming days and weeks.
The Black Cats ended the summer with three additions on deadline day, signing RB Leipzig defender Lutsharel Geerdruita on an initial loan deal. Sunderland have the option to make the deal permanent next summer for a fee of around £18.5 million. Following Marc Guiu's surprise return to Chelsea, the Black Cats also moved to sign Ajax striker Brian Brobbey in a deal that Kristjaan Speakman says 'significantly' enhances the team for the season ahead. Brobbey has signed a five-year contract at the club, and joined for an initial fee of around £18 million. Sunderland also secured the deal for a new winger they have long been pursuing, with Bertrand Traore also joining from Ajax on an initial one-year deal.
There were six outgoings on deadline day but in truth, that is not actually as many as Sunderland would have hoped for heading into the final hours of the summer window. And that means the club till have a bit of work to do in streamlining the squad.
It's understood that positive talks have been held regarding loan moves for Nazariy Rusyn and Milan Aleksic, with the former likely to join Polish top-tier side Arka Gdynia. The window in Poland remains open until September 8th.
The National League also remains a potential destination for some of the squad's talented younger players, with Harrison Jones one obvious contender. An EFL move would have been ideal but the right option never quite materialised, and so a move that allows him to play regularly for a progressive fifth-tier club could yet appeal. Another option, given that Jones has played already this season for the Black Cats, would be to revisit the situation in January. Ahmed Abdullahi had been expected to join Angers in Ligue 1, but the deal stalled on deadline day due to financial restrictions placed on the club by the French governing bodies. Like Aleksic, Sunderland would be very keen to do find him regular football but the January window again presents another opportunity if no resolution can be found now.
It remains to be seen whether new clubs can be found for the other players Sunderland were keen to move on this summer. Progress has been slower than expected on that front, with Abdoullah Ba, Jay Matete, Ian Poveda, Joe Anderson and Timothee Pembele still all this stage contracted to the club. None of that group have been training with the senior group since the start of pre season, but Sunderland would ideally like to avoid the scenario where they remain despite a lack of first-team opportunities for the months ahead.
The leagues that still present an option for the Sunderland players
In the Netherlands and Norway, teams have until the evening of September 2nd to conclude their business. A few days later, on September 5th, the window will close in Austria, Croatia, and Ukraine, while shortly after that deadline, teams in Belgium and Poland will wrap up their dealings on September 8th.
The following day, September 9th, will see the transfer window shut for clubs in Czechia, Romania, and Switzerland. On September 10th, Saudia Arabia will follow suit. Two of the latest deadlines will pass in Turkey and Greece, with transfer dealings ceasing on September 11th and September 12th respectively. Mexico’s window will shut even later still, on September 13th.
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