**Upon securing Europa League football for the first time in over 50 years, the Black Cats look poised for an exciting window, with the intent to attract players of the highest level. To sustain these incomings however, Sunderland must think about seeing off a number of fringe players: individuals who have contributed in brief flashes but have ultimately faded into the background. This window will likely prove to be decisive in terms of where the following players end up.**
In September 2023, with the Lads looking to build on their previous sixth place finish the season prior, Kristjaan Speakman looked to add quality and depth to the squad’s defence, bringing in Beaumont born fullback Timothée Pembélé. Having come through the ranks of European giants PSG, Pembélé was a signing that made Mackems hopeful for the season ahead. Given his brief experience at a Champions League club, on top of him only being 20 years old suggested to fans on Wearside that Speakman had yet again unearthed another diamond. Unfortunately, that presumption couldn’t be any further from the truth.
Racking up a measly 8 appearances in his first season thanks to inconsistent performances and a knee injury, the PSG academy graduate fell out of the spotlight at Wearside, as he found himself on loan at French side Le Havre for the 24/25 season. Making 21 appearances and narrowly avoiding relegation by a single point, Pembélé’s season long stint in the French topflight failed to improve the Black Cat’s stance on the fullback’s situation. So much so, the Frenchman ended up out on loan to the Ligue 1 club again for the 25/26 season.
After another relegation battle with Le Havre which saw the loanee make only four appearances, it was clear that everyone was expecting his permanent departure, which would eventually come on the 16th of July 2026 to Le Havre. After 3 years contracted to the club and having been limited to 8 appearances for The Lads, his outgoing marked the end of a project which unfortunately never truly kicked on.
Signed at a similar stage in the club’s development as Pembélé, the signing of Abdoullah Ba also happened to have brought a sense of hope to Wearside. Having put pen to paper with The Lads at the start of the 22/23 season. Ironically being brought in from Pembélé’s new club Le Havre, the then-19-year-old arrived on Wearside. And with 27 senior appearances in the French second tier but only a single goal, questions were naturally raised regarding the transfer, and rightfully so. Making a total of 74 appearances and totalling 9 goals and assists during his 3 season spell with the Lads, it amazes me how the Frenchman is still contracted to the club. However, sources suggest that Sunderland are actively looking for a resolution to the winger’s current situation.
Brought in with the long term project in mind, Sunderland brought in Portuguese striker Luís Semedo (A.K.A Hemir) in June 2023. The forward arrived on Wearside with raw, physical potential but, unfortunately, nothing more despite an exciting pre-season campain where he couldn't stop scoring. Despite being considered a highly promising talent from the Benfica academy, Semedo’s short time with the Black Cats ended up being lacklustre.
Making 23 appearances and contributing zero goals for the Lads in Red and White, it became apparent that the striker was not yet ready for the second tier of English football. Following his underwhelming debut season, the centre forward was astonishingly brought in by Juventus (albeit their development squad in Serie C), where he managed three goals in 29 total appearances. That stint managed to earn him another opportunity to finally find his feet and ultimately drive his market value up for a potential move away.
This time, Hemir found himself back in his home country at Liga Portugal outfit Moreirense. Scoring 3 goals after making 21 appearances, it is clear that the Portuguese player has no future here on Wearside. Being only 22 currently, it makes you wonder what type of fee the Black Cats will be able to secure for the forward. However, the main priority remains to be giving the 22 year old a fresh start elsewhere.
Despite the largely successful and profitable model initially instilled by Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and the recruitment team, there has evidently been a mixture of hits and misses along the way. For every young player who flourishes on Wearside, there will unfortunately also be one or two who don’t quite work out. As Sunderland push on with Europe in their sights, it is equally as important to move on the players who haven’t quite managed to thrive at the club as opposed to nourishing the ones who have.