Regis Le Bris has been a revelation at Sunderland, but the French coach is not content with resting on his laurels and celebrating his successes since arriving at the Stadium of Light less than promotion
Promotion has been followed by a stable and successful return to the Premier League. With seven fixtures left this term, the Black Cats are miles away from the relegation zone, instead with an outside chance of playing in Europe next year.
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However, success has come with some tough choices, one which the decision to allow Dan Neil to leave on loan in January, ahead of the conclusion of a contract that will not be renewed.
Why Dan Neil is leaving Sunderland
Neil, 24, has been at Sunderland since his youth. Fashioned on Wearside, the boyhood fan has played an instrumental role in establishing the club as a Championship outfit after the dark days in League One.
Dan Neil's League Career at Sunderland
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But he scarcely featured across the opening months of the current campaign, thereby sealing his short-term transfer away to Ipswich Town.
The centre-midfielder is a natural-born leader, spirited and vocal. He is also a skilled player, confident in his technical skillset while bearing an intelligence that allows him to make the right decisions at the right time.
However, Le Bris signed Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra last summer, and those additions have negated Neil's hopes of cementing a berth.
As poignant as it might be, his departure makes sense, and he's not the only one to be cut adrift after playing a crucial role in securing Sunderland's place in the Premier League.
Sunderland's EFL superstar is now finished
Sunderland heaved themselves back into the Premier League last season, utilising width, pushing their full-backs high to become supplements to the attack.
In that, Dennis Cirkin was instrumental in providing balance and dynamism. The 23-year-old was even described as "the best full-back in the Championship" by journalist and Mackems fan Josh Bunting.
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Reinildo Mandava is the only other natural left-back in Sunderland's first-team squad, so if a decision is made to part with the Englishman, a replacement will be required.
But maybe that would be for the best. Reinildo is clearly Le Bris's favourite, combative and strong in the duel while being confident on the ball when he does decide to push forward.
Cirkin operated within similar tactical parameters in the Championship, but maybe there's a case to be made that Reinildo simply plays the role to a better standard, and the northern outfit now have a chance to continue their growth by investing in a talented new wide defender.
They have already shown that they can make such a tough call, announcing when Neil left for Ipswich that he would leave for good when his contract expired.
Cirkin is in the same boat, and while he was one of the best full-backs in the EFL, maybe even the finest last year, he doesn't boast the same level of performance as Reinildo, and given that he has only started three times in the Premier League this term, it might be time for the club to make a change.
One of the Premier League's greatest managers in history took note of the former England youth international's development on Wearside, with ex-boss Tony Mowbray commenting that "Jose Mourinho really liked him" during his younger days with Tottenham.
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Cirkin may yet forge a successful Premier League career for himself, but it doesn't look like that's going to be achieved at the Stadium of Light, and like Neil, he is set to leave on a free transfer this summer.
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