Sunderland’s focus will now shift towards the transfer market after the appointment of Régis Le Bris with all eyes on sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and head of recruitment Stuart Harvey.
The 48-year-old Frenchman was appointed as Sunderland’s new head earlier this summer, signing a three-year deal on Wearside after leaving French club FC Lorient.
Le Bris has now started work at Sunderland and met the media for the first time and expressed his desire to keep Jack Clarke at the club but admitted there are no guarantees in the transfer market.
“It's difficult to have guarantees because the market can be crazy sometimes but I feel the ambition,” Le Bris said when asked about assurances regarding Sunderland’s recruitment process and player sales.
“Obviously, the market and transfer window will not be as we'd expect it just now but we will adapt with the circumstances and at the end I think we'll have a balanced team with players who are able to play our style of play and to perform on the pitch.
“We like good players – the players who are able to dribble, attack the box, score and give the last key passes,” Le Bris responded when asked about Clarke specifically.
“They are very important for the team. He is an important player – other players are very important for the team also. If we are able to keep the core of this team, I think it will be very helpful to enable us to perform quickly, with one, two or three players more. He is very important, as are all the players.”
Here, though, we take a look at how Sunderland’s squad could look under Le Bris if the transfer rumours turn out to be true:
1. GK: Anthony Patterson
Patterson has started 91 of Sunderland's 92 games in the league since promotion to the Championship and signed a new contract at the club last year - despite interest from Premier League clubs. The 23-year-old has talked about his pride in playing for his boyhood team. The local lad is not expected to leave this summer unless a monster bid arrives | Getty Images
2. RB: Trai Hume
After a breakthrough 2022-23 season, Hume, 22, signed a contract extension at Sunderland in June last year, with his deal now running until the summer of 2027. Photo: Frank Reid
3. LB: Dennis Cirkin
The former Tottenham left-back is a hugely important player for Sunderland when fit. Unfortunately, Cirkin spent much of last season injured but has started the current campaign extremely well. | Frank Reid
4. CB: Chris Mepham
The central defender is believed to be close to concluding a deal to join Sunderland. Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images