How Dennis Cirkin compares to Mukiele, Hume and Reinildo as Sunderland departure confirmed
The former Tottenham Hotspur defender confirmed he will leave Sunderland when his current contract ends later this month.
Dennis Cirkin confirmed his time as a Sunderland player will officially come to an end later this month - but he will depart with the gratitude of the Wearside faithful after playing a key role in the Black Cats’ rise into the Premier League.
Since moving to the Stadium of Light during the summer of 2021, Cirkin was a regular starter in Sunderland sides that claimed play-off final wins in League One and Championship to end the club’s nine-year absence from the top flight of English football. However, the full-back made just ten appearances last season in all competitions and just five came as part of Regis Le Bris’ starting eleven. With little progress in any talks over a new deal, Cirkin’s departure became increasingly inevitable as the season wore on and this week brought confirmation over what lies ahead for the former Tottenham Hotspur academy product.
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His time on Wearside is now over - but how do Cirkin’s performances stack up against the other players used on both sides of Le Bris’ defence throughout last season?
Tackles won
Cirkin rates favourably against the other four players utilised at full-back by Regis Le Bris last season according to the stats experts at FBref. Although his sample size for games is smaller given he made just 10 first-team appearances last season, the former Spurs defender averaged 1.39 successful tackles per game and that is a higher total than Trai Hume (1.36), Arthur Masuaku (1.28) and Reinildo Mandava (1.06). Only Nordi Mukiele is able to improve on Cirkin’s average as the former Paris Saint-Germain defender posted an average of 1.46 tackles won per game across 35 appearances in all competitions last season.
Interceptions
Once again, it must be taken into consideration Cirkin’s sample size for games is lower than Hume, Reinildo and Mukiele - but his average interceptions per game outscores his fellow full-backs. In his eight Premier League appearances, Cirkin averaged 1.39 interceptions per game. That rates above Reinildo (1.33), Mukiele (1.20), Masuaku (0.77) and Hume (0.74).
Points per appearance
Masuaku tops the charts in this statistic as his appearances for Sunderland and Lens during the season are taken into account. The former West Ham defender averaged exactly two points in his seven appearances for both clubs as he struggled to find regular game-time on either side of the Channel. Cirkin averaged just 0.88 points in his eight appearances - and that was bettered by Mukiele (1.38), Hume (1.42) and Reinildo (1.60).
Goals and assists
Cirkin and Masuaku failed to provide a goal or an assist during the campaign so they sit at the bottom of the chart in this statistic. Mukiele was the most effective in the attacking front with three goals and three assists in 32 appearances. Hume provided three goal contributions in 38 games and Reinildo provided a solitary assist in his 25 appearances and failed to find the back of the net.
Crossing
Another aspect of the style of play utilised by Le Bris is his desire to encourage full-backs to support the attack and produce crosses into the opposition area. Cirkin rates at the bottom of this statistic with just 0.83 crosses per game. That is only just bettered by Reinildo (1.06) with Hume (2.61) and Mukiele (2.75) sitting behind Masuaku’s 3.85 crosses per game.
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