The Stadium of Light will surely have a carnival-like atmosphere when West Ham United come to town on Saturday.
Sunderland fans will be counting down the days now until they're able to view their beloved team in the Premier League once more, with the Black Cats last playing a top-flight fixture all the way back in May of 2017.
That season, unfortunately, ended in a demoralising relegation that saw the Wearside outfit eventually spiral down to the depressing pit of League One.
However, with signings such as Omar Alderete in through the door now bolstering his options defensively, Regis Le Bris will be hopeful his team can stay up, as even more fresh faces continue to be linked with a switch to the top-flight newcomers.
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris on the touchline
The latest transfer rumours at Sunderland
It's fair to say the Sunderland transfer rumour mill this summer has often threatened to go into overdrive.
At the time of writing, the ambitious Black Cats have managed to secure a bumper 11 signings, with Lloyd Kelly perhaps the next defensive figure to enter the Wearside club's ever-growing camp on a potential £17m deal from Juventus.
Newcastle United's Lloyd Kelly before the match
Some late defensive additions look to be a clear priority based on the recent wave of rumours, with Loic Bade still on the Sunderland radar allegedly, even as Bayer Leverkusen aim to push away to land his signature for a reported £30m.
Le Bris is also keeping an eye out for more eye-catching purchases to enhance his already vibrant attack.
amine-adli-bayer-leverkusen
Indeed, it's been long established that Sunderland hold an interest in trying to snap up Bayer Leverkusen winger Amine Adli this summer, with it having been reported earlier this week that the 25-year-old is still on the Black Cats' extensive shopping list at a £26m valuation.
Potentially forking out £26m on Adli's services is nowhere near the riches Liverpool managed to flex when snapping up his ex-Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz for an eye-watering £116m.
Yet, the Moroccan attacker could go on to be the Frenchman's own version of the stunning German, regardless, in offering plenty of quality and class to Sunderland's stressful survival mission.
How Adli can be Le Bris' own Wirtz
Already, Wirtz is up and running donning his new Liverpool colours, having collected an assist during the Community Shield final against Crystal Palace.
Adli will be hopeful that he can effortlessly set the English game alight in a similar manner if he swaps the BayArena for the Stadium of Light shortly, having starred in Germany - once alongside Wirtz - for some time now.
Adli vs Wirtz - Leverkusen record
Stat
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
Trophies
Sourced by Transfermarkt
When glancing at the table above, it's clear that both Adli and the new Liverpool number seven were key components to Leverkusen's recent successes, with the £26m target even helping himself to a blistering 22 goal contributions during the Black and Reds' triumphant Bundesliga title win at the close of the 2023/24 campaign.
His ex-£116m teammate amassed a staggering 48 contributions across the same span.
Much like Wirtz, too, the "electric" Adli - as he was labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig for his hard-to-contain burst of pace - is capable of playing as a number ten and as a centre forward, away from just lining up in his preferred spot on the pitch down the left flank.
Their similarities would come to a head most prominently when they were deemed as statistically similar performers, the same season Xabi Alonso guided Leverkusen to a shock top spot in the Bundesliga, according to FBref.
Wirtz will be beyond excited to get properly going at Anfield, as Arne Slot's Reds aim to clinch back-to-back Premier League titles.
adli-premier-league-newcastle-diaby-magpies-leverkusen-transfer-howe
On the contrary, his former comrade in midfield in Germany will have his work cut out for him to be as "sensational" for his new side - as he was once labelled by U23 scout Antonio Mango - as the Black Cats likely battle against the drop all season long.