Regis Le Bris’ new starting XI could be a force to be reckoned with this season
What have you done in the last eight years? In the time that Crystal Palace have stoically refused to budge from the Premier League mid-table (before enough drama to last a lifetime this summer) and Preston North End and Bristol City have shown less sign of movement from the Championship than a tectonic plate, Sunderland have had a different story.
Back-to-back relegation, Netflix, six Wembley trips including four failed play-off campaigns, a trophy won and eight different top scorers have meant it’s been anything but dull at the Stadium of Light since 2017 but forget eight years, it’s been Sunderland’s activity in the last three months that’s caught the eye of many rival fans as they’ve splashed over £120m in the transfer market. That’s at least £120m... and counting.
An iconic Barclays side of Jordan Pickford, Billy Jones, John O’Shea, Joleaon Lescott, Javier Manquillo, Sebastian Larsson, Lee Cattermole, Jack Rodwell, Bryan Oviedo, Adnan Januzaj and Fabio Borini lined up in a 3-5-1-1 to get thumped 5-1 in John Terry’s pseudo-testimonial on the final day of the 2016/17 Premier League season, but will this crop of Black Cats fare better?
Questions at the back despite player retention
Robin Roefs (£9m), Trai Hume (£0.2m), Dan Ballard (£2m), Omar Alderete (£10m), Reinildo (free)
It's an open competition at centre-back after the signing of Omar Alderete, who will get the first chance to prove himself alongside alongside Dan Ballard with Luke O’Nien beginning the season injuried - though Sunderland still rewarded him with a contract extension this week.
The Paraguayan has had fitness trouble of his own in preseason and only played 45 minutes for Getafe, but with Le Bris’ limited options in this area we think Alderete will be thrust into the spotlight while O’Nien continues his recovery.
A no-nonsense defender, he ranks in the top 4% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for clearances in the last year and the top 13% for aerial duels won per FBRef.com, and while his passing numbers aren’t as impressive that could be skewed by Getafe’s overall slump last season.
Once Le Bris has all his options available he could shuffle Alderete out to left-back, especially against top opposition, though there’s further questions there too. Sunderland picked up free agent Arthur Masuaku who will need time to get up to speed. The former Hammer is something of a wildcard option as opposed to the defensive solidity of Reinildo, who himself can play centre-back. The one certainty appears to be Trai Hume’s berth at right-back.
Sublime strength in depth in midfield
Granit Xhaka (£17.2m), Habib Diarra (£30m), Noah Sadiki (£17.5m)
There are further questions in midfield, the area that Sunderland have reinforced most heavily. Dan Neil, former loanee Enzo Le Fee and Chris Rigg are all incumbent options but it looks like all three could be absent from Le Bris’ strongest starting side. Captain Neil has been used sparingly in pre-season particularly amongst the other assumed starters, with just one year remaining on his contract, while Le Bris hinted Le Fee may be best utilised as an impact substitute at least to start the season.
Meanwhile Rigg’s contract runs until 2027 but he’s been the subject of intense interest from established Premier League sides this summer and having just turned 18, will need to be eased into life in the top flight even if he does remain at the Stadium of Light. All of that means despite only playing a handful of minutes together so far, it’s three new signings who are the frontrunners for Sunderland’s midfield.
All-new front three not done yet
Chemsdine Talbi (£18.1m), Artem Dovbyk (£37m), Simon Adingra (£21m)
Guiu apparently has an appearances clause in his loan deal from Chelsea but he’s yet to playe 1,000 minutes of senior football in a season and Roma’s Ukrainian international Artem Dovbyk would be an accomplished other option having scored 17 goals last season.
That’s one more goal than Guiu’s appearances tally in 2025/26, though the Black Cats will need to fight off interest from Everton and Leeds to secure Dovbyk’s services - the Toffees have reportedly lodged a bid of £37m. Whoever the striker is, having youthful wing pairing Chemsdine Talbi and Simon Adringa flanking him will surely help the goals flow.
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