Who stays and who goes? Strikers and midfielders in end of season Sunderland review Part Two

But who stays and who goes? In the second of a two-part review, Sunderland reporter Chris Young casts his gaze over those on the club’s books and what the close season holds for them.

MIDFIELDERS

Jan Kirchhoff

Suddenly, extending Kirchhoff’s contract has become a priority for Sunderland just six months after he arrived at the Stadium of Light.

Kirchhoff has made such a huge impression in his Premier League career so far that Sunderland need him to be signed and sealed for far longer than the deal which runs out next summer. STAYING

Lee Cattermole

Sunderland’s longest-serving first-teamer again demonstrated the value of his character during the escape from the drop.

Perhaps there will be speculation over a move to hometown club Middlesbrough now that they are back in the Premier League, but Cattermole has been one of Allardyce’s chief lieutenants in the dressing room. STAYING

Yann M’Vila

M’Vila has six months remaining on a Ruben Kazan contract worth in excess of £100,000 a week.

The Frenchman will have to take a big pay cut if he is to return to Sunderland on a permanent basis.

But M’Vila has enjoyed his time on Wearside so much after a couple of years in the wlderness, that he is likely to jump at a return. PROBABLE RETURN

Wahbi Khazri

With a full pre-season under his belt, Khazri could be an even bigger hit in a Sunderland shirt next season.

The Tunisian has shown his undoubted quality, particularly with that scorching volley against Chelsea, and will give Allardyce food for thought as an option in his favoured number 10 role next season. STAYING

Seb Larsson

Few Sunderland fans would be eager to see Larsson leave, but after an injury-hit season where he has started just six Premier League games, it wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise.

Larsson has only 12 months remaining on his Sunderland contract and is far from the type of player to to be happy with a place on the bench. POSSIBLE EXIT

Ola Toivonen

The Swede didn’t start a game after a hapless first half at Chelsea in December, and didn’t even come off the bench in the last three months.

He will return to parent club Rennes, who appear equally keen to offload him. LEAVING

Jordi Gomez

It pretty quickly became apparent that Gomez was not part of Allardyce’s plans and he was shipped out to Blackburn at the first opportunity.

Gomez has done alright at Ewood Park and Paul Lambert was making noises about keeping him before deciding to leave Ewood Park.

Either way, he’s one who Sunderland will want to shift again. LEAVING

Jack Rodwell

This was supposed to be the season where Rodwell finally justified that £10million transfer fee, yet while there have been a few flashes, he has continued to underwhelm.

Allardyce is a fan of the ex-Manchester City man’s technical ability and he may have to keep giving him chances, with minimal prospect of Sunderland recouping any of their outlay. STAYING

Rees Greenwood

The stand-out figure for the Under-21s this season and didn’t look out of place on his Sunderland debut at Watford.

Greenwood will have to continue adapting to the physical demands of senior football, but the England Under-20s winger unquestionably has the talent. STAYING

George Honeyman

Handed his debut at Watford after penning a new one-year contract last month, Sunderland’s coaching staff clearly believe in Honeyman’s potential.

If he is to go out on loan, he needs a club which he plays to his footballing strengths after nine appearances for Gateshead earlier this season. POSSIBLE LOAN EXIT

Liam Bridcutt

Allardyce has made it clear that Bridcutt has no future at Sunderland and if Leeds don’t want to re-sign him, then the Black Cats will approach other Championship suitors. LEAVING

Will Buckley

Faces a similar situation to Bridcutt after spending the second half of the season at Birmingham.

Sunderland won’t get their £2.5m transfer fee back, but they need to keep the winger off the books. LEAVING

Emmanuele Giaccherini

A host of Serie A clubs are queueing up to land Giaccherini, albeit he is keen to stay at temporary employers Bologna.

With only 12 months left on a big-money Sunderland contract, the Black Cats won’t stand in his way. LEAVING

Charis Mavrias

There is an option for Fortuna Dusseldorf to sign Mavrias permanently after his loan spell, yet he has not made a huge impact in Germany. LEAVING

STRIKERS

Jermain Defoe

Perhaps it’s inevitable that those links with Bournemouth will resurface after dominating the last two transfer windows.

But after Defoe has so emphatically proved his potency in the Premier League – even at 33 – there is no prospect of him leaving Wearside, even if Allardyce wants to bring in another striker. STAYING

Fabio Borini

There has been a feeling that Allardyce was not entirely convinced about Borini, and speculation over a January exit or return to Italy this summer have largely stemmed from that.

But Borini was key to Sunderland staying up and with Lens at the front of the queue to depart, will Allardyce really want another wideman to go? STAYING

Duncan Watmore

The challenge for Watmore next season is to genuinely challenge for a starting spot, rather than being renowned as an impact substitute.

But the England Under-21 international clearly has a big part to play in Sunderland’s future after such an impression during his breakthrough season in the Premier League. STAYING

Jeremain Lens

There is no doubting Lens’ quality and he looked a player with a chance of being a Sunderland superstar when he arrived last summer.

But his attitude has been a major issue for Allardyce and his coaching staff. Lens will go, but Sunderland will need to recoup as much of the £8m as they can. LEAVING

Dame N’Doye

Allardyce has been holding discussions with N’Doye’s camp this week and the on-loan Trabzonspor frontman was far more effective at Watford last Sunday. But he hasn’t done enough since arriving in January to justify a longer stay. LEAVING

Steven Fletcher

The Scot’s January loan move to Marseille signalled the end of his Sunderland career and there will be several clubs eyeing a Bosman deal this summer. LEAVING

Danny Graham

Like Fletcher, his Cats career effectively ended in January. Wigan, Birmingham and Blackburn are all interested in a free transfer. LEAVING