Régis Le Bris says Tottenham-linked defender Dennis Cirkin must “step up” this season amid increased competition at left-back
Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris says it remains to be seen how big a role Dennis Cirkin will play this season after the defender’s injury-disrupted summer, with the 23-year-old also attracting reported transfer interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
Cirkin missed the entirety of pre-season after undergoing wrist surgery and hasn’t yet been able to showcase qualities during Sunderland’s return to the Premier League. Asked if Cirkin would be an important player this season, Le Bris said: "We'll see.”
Le Bris added on the England youth international defender, who last played for the Black Cats in last season’s play-off final: “We've stepped up as a club, and as a player, you have to do the same. Because of the injury, it wasn't possible for him to show his qualities in pre-season. We'll see later."
Cirkin, who joined Sunderland from Tottenham in 2021, has made 116 senior appearances and was a key figure in the club’s 2024-25 promotion-winning campaign. However, competition for places at left-back has intensified following the arrivals of Reinildo and Arthur Masuaku, both of whom provide strong options on the left side of defence.
Reports on Monday suggested Tottenham are considering a January move for Cirkin, with Brentford boss Thomas Frank also believed to be monitoring the situation. Cirkin is entering the final year of his contract at the Stadium of Light, meaning Sunderland could face a decision on his long-term future if fresh terms aren’t agreed. However, it is worth noting that the same outlet has linked Cirkin with a Spurs return for the last four windows.
What has Kristjaan Speakman said about Dennis Cirkin’s contract?
Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has confirmed that Sunderland plan to resume contract negotiations with both Dan Neil and Dennis Cirkin following the closure of the summer transfer window. "No, I wouldn't say it's a concern," Speakman said when asked about Cirkin’s situation.
"We've had similar situations in the past. It's never really been a concern for us because we're on top of the conversation. So there's no ambiguity on where it's at. It's just so difficult over the transfer window to do everything, and we've got some outstanding topics to discuss and to resolve, and they're two of them. So we'll do as we've always done. We'll continue to have those conversations and get to a consensus and a decision on it."
Speakman stressed that contract management remains central to Sunderland’s long-term recruitment model. "I think we've said over the last four or five years, it's really important that the transfer window is one component [of your business]," he added.
"It [transfer window] is an opportunity to recruit new players and different players and to be able to adjust your squad, but it's also vitally important that we're always reviewing and reflecting on the current group and making sure that all those contracts are in the right and most appropriate place."
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