Sunderland contract dilemmas and BIG ownership question - The major on and off-pitch issues at stake explained as SAFC begin defining month

Seven games in a month, the Black Cats currently just behind the pace in the most competitive battle for a League One play-off place in two decades.

They will need an outstanding run of form both to secure their chance of winning the third promotion spot, and to then go on and do it.

The implications of what happens on the pitch over the next four (and hopefully three beyond that) are vast, through all levels of the club’s operation.

Here, we highlight everything that is on the line as Sunderland prepare to kick off what will be a defining month…

ALEX NEIL AND KRISTJAAN SPEAKMAN’S BIG CALLS

Sunderland’s Sporting Director pursued a dugout change not just because of the 6-0 defeat to Bolton Wanderers, but over longer-term concerns over the trajectory of performances under Lee Johnson.

Neil has significantly improved the team defensively, but they face a major battle to make the top six and the poor results during the recruitment process could yet prove costly.

There will also be significant scrutiny on a January window that left Sunderland short defensively and saw a number of very talented players arrive lacking match fitness.

How those players end the season will define the fate of Sunderland’s season, and the inquest that follows.

Neil signed a 12-month rolling contract on arrival, and while the general level of performance has been mixed, progress is clear and fans have largely taken well to his straight-talking approach.

The work on which he will really be judged, though, begins Saturday. And from there the debates and decisions will follow, whether it be how Sunderland kick on or to what extent their new strategy needs reworking after another failed promotion attempt.

LOANEES STILL LOOKING TO MAKE THEIR MARK

At this stage, it is hard to be definitive about the future status of any of five Sunderland’s loanees.

Nathan Broadhead has had injury issues this season but the quality of performances he has produced when available surely means that a) Sunderland will want him in their squad next season and b) he will not be dropping back into the third tier.

The Welshman has a year left on his Everton contract so is entering a crucial period in his career.

Both Callum Doyle and Jack Clarke have made an impression over the course of their loan spells, and like Broadhead are players who may well have designs on being in the second tier next season, particularly if they can make an impact over the final month of the campaign.

Two of the most interesting decisions the Black Cats will make this summer will be over the futures of Leon Dajaku and Thorben Hoffmann. Both have shown real promise and made an impact at times, but have struggled for regular game time since Neil’s arrival. Sunderland have the option to turn the loans permanent and even explored the possibility of doing so early in January when both were fixtures in the team. Both players arrived with promotion as the key goal and so would have a dilemma if it did not materialise, while the Black Cats would also have tough budget decisions to weigh up in that scenario.

THE BIG CONTRACT DILEMMAS

Seven of Sunderland’s current senior squad see their contracts expire at the end of the season: Lee Burge, Lynden Gooch, Aiden McGeady, Arbenit Xhemajli, Patrick Roberts, Bailey Wright & Jordan Willis.

In Roberts’ case there is the option to extend, and after a dazzling cameo at Lincoln City the ideal scenario is clearly for the winger to end the campaign strongly and sign up for a tilt at the Championship next time around. Clearly the winger still has much to do after building his way up to match fitness, and failure to win promotion would make keeping him a challenge for financial and sporting reasons.

Lynden Gooch has continued to be a regular through the current campaign and has been a hugely dependable performer over a number of years, whose commitment to the club is beyond question. The question for player and club is at what point a fresh start might be beneficial. Like Roberts, that becomes an even more acute dilemma if Sunderland are facing a fifth season in the third-tier.

Arbenit Xhemajli made, all things considered, a quite remarkable start to his League One career at Wigan and Charlton Athletic, but faces a battle now to get in the side for the remaining games with Doyle and Danny Batth fit again. A regular under Neil, Wright has a great opportunity to further his claims for a new deal.

The first focus for McGeady and Burge is to make a full recovery from knee and heart issues respectively, with the latter returning to training in a major boost following COVID-complications.

ROSS STEWART AND THE CLUB’S PRIZE PLAYERS

Norwich City have been tracking the League One top goalscorer, after extensive Championship interest over the course of the current campaign.

Sunderland are in a relatively strong position as the Scot has one year left on his current deal, with the club holding the option to extend for a further season. There have been suggestions they will look to reward their star striker with a fresh deal entirely, and that would be a sound move after a superb campaign.

Similarly, the new deal handed to Dan Neil earlier this season (undoubtedly one of Speakman’s best moves since arriving on Wearside) means they are in a strong negotiating position when suitors inevitably return.

The question for Sunderland is whether failure to win promotion will mean either of those players look to step up a level ahead of next season.

Selling players for a profit is a core part of the club’s strategy to become sustainable in the long term, but the ideal scenario in both these cases is for the players to grow with the club at Championship level first.

They wouldn’t be the only two drawing interest, either. Elliot Embleton had Championship suitors last summer and Alex Pritchard has had a superb campaign.

Selling good players will be a part of Sunderland’s journey, but the realities of a fifth season in League One would be some difficult decisions ahead of time.

KYRIL LOUIS-DREYFUS AND THE BIG OWNERSHIP QUESTION

Sunderland’s Chairman has said the end of the season is the time to discuss ownership issues, and they will certainly be top of the agenda after the revelation that he currently owns just 41% of the club’s shares earlier this year.

He wants to take on more, and that is a negotiation process that will again be guided by how Sunderland’s season ends on the pitch.

The quest for stability and clarity at boardroom level is the most important of all on Wearside.

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