James Copley: Kevin Danso deal clearly explains Sunderland’s transfer strategy under Florent Ghisolfi

Sunderland’s move for Kevin Danso makes sense because it follows the same principle that carried them through last season: build from the back and give Régis Le Bris enough defensive security to make everything else work.

Wingers and forwards will always generate more excitement. Yet Sunderland’s rise under Le Bris has been rooted in control, structure and the ability to survive difficult periods without losing shape. Their defence was not just part of last season’s success. It was the platform for almost everything good that followed.

That is why Danso looks such a logical addition. Sunderland have more matches, more travel and more tactical demands this season. They are balancing the Premier League with Europa League football and the domestic cups, so asking the same group of defenders to absorb every challenge would have been a risk.

Sunderland have already added Dayann Methalie and Thomas Meunier, but Danso would give Le Bris another centre-back with experience and a profile suited to the way he wants to defend. He is aggressive, powerful, quick across the ground and comfortable stepping into duels.

Danso could unlock Mukiele

There is a wider tactical benefit. Nordi Mukiele is excellent at centre-back, but he can be just as influential at right-back. His pace, power and willingness to overlap give Sunderland something different on that side, particularly when Trai Hume is used higher up the pitch.

If Danso takes more minutes at right centre-back, Mukiele can be used more often in a position where his athleticism changes the balance of the whole flank. Sunderland suddenly gain another way of solving the width issue that was obvious for long spells against Fulham.

That flexibility runs through the rest of the defence. Dan Ballard played on the left of central defence against Fulham and has done so before, but he can also compete naturally on the right. Omar Alderete is another left-sided option, while Luke O’Nien can play on either side.

At right-back, Hume and Meunier offer different qualities, while Mukiele can move across whenever Le Bris wants more speed and power. On the other side, Reinildo Mandava and Methalie are competing for minutes. Reinildo plays centrally for Mozambique, while Methalie has the profile to suggest he could eventually operate as a left-sided centre-back too.

Depth without losing identity

Put all of that together and Sunderland’s defensive depth starts to look excellent. Danso, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete and O’Nien can all cover central positions. Hume, Meunier and Mukiele can play on the right. Reinildo and Methalie give Sunderland two left-sided options. Hume can even play at left-back during a crisis and has done so before. More importantly, Le Bris can rotate without changing the character of his team too much. That will be crucial when the schedule becomes relentless, and Sunderland are dealing with three-game weeks, European travel, injuries and dips in form.

Le Bris wants his side compact, patient and difficult to break down. He needs defenders who can cope one-on-one, protect space behind them and still play when Sunderland have the ball. If that first layer is weak, the rest quickly becomes fragile. Sunderland understood that last summer and appear determined not to forget it now.

Ghisolfi knows exactly who he is signing

Florent Ghisolfi’s relationship with Danso adds another reason to like the deal. He brought him to Lens from Augsburg and watched him become a major part of a side that finished second in Ligue 1 and qualified for the Champions League. Ghisolfi then tried to sign him again at Roma before the move collapsed because of medical irregularities that were subsequently cleared. Tottenham eventually stepped in and paid around £21million to sign him permanently from Lens.

When a sporting director goes back for the same player at multiple clubs, the admiration is based on more than a highlights reel. Ghisolfi knows Danso’s personality, his training habits, his strengths and the level at which he can perform. Sunderland are not taking a blind punt. They are moving for somebody their sporting director has already trusted in a successful team.

No glamorous left-footer? Fine

There had been an expectation that Sunderland might spend heavily on a glamorous left-footed centre-back this summer. That has not happened, but the obsession with one specific profile can hide what a squad actually needs. Danso would give Le Bris options rather than simply filling a box on a recruitment chart. He could play right centre-back, Mukiele could move wider, Ballard could shift left, O’Nien could fill either side, and Alderete would remain a natural option on the left. Different opponents can demand different combinations.

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Nobody should arrive with a guaranteed shirt either. Ballard was excellent for long periods last season. Mukiele has been one of Sunderland’s strongest defenders. Alderete brings balance and experience. O’Nien remains a decent depth option. Danso would have to earn his place, while allowing Le Bris to protect players rather than run them into the ground.

We all want Sunderland to improve in an attacking sense too. But whatever happens in terms of the development of Le Bris’ attacking patterns, strengthening the defensive platform again follows the same logic that served them so well last season. Danso may not be the glamorous addition many imagined, but his versatility, experience and relationship with Ghisolfi could make him one of the more important pieces.

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