£17m striker, £10m keeper – Sunderland’s ideal Premier League squad after Speakman’s rebuild: gallery

Sunderland’s long-awaited return to the Premier League brings both celebration and a wave of critical decisions ahead of a transformative summer.

After years of frustration and steady rebuilding, the Black Cats are back among English football’s elite. But survival in the top flight will demand more than just momentum – it will require smart, strategic recruitment.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and head coach Régis Le Bris now face the challenge of evolving a youthful, high-potential squad into one capable of competing week in, week out at the highest level. Promotion has triggered several financial clauses tied to previous signings and raised expectations for the calibre of new arrivals.

The task ahead is to strike the right balance – retaining the spirit, identity and unity that powered Sunderland’s rise, while adding experience and top-level quality in key areas. One of those players is Enzo Le Fée, whose permanent move from AS Roma was automatically activated following promotion. The creative midfielder will be central to the club’s plans, but further additions will be needed – particularly in central defence and up front.

Contract talks are also expected to resume with Dan Neil and Dennis Cirkin, both of whom are entering the final 12 months of their current deals. Sunderland remain keen to tie down the influential duo before the summer window gathers pace. Neil, in particular, has attracted consistent interest from top-flight clubs, with Serie A side AS Roma understood to be monitoring his situation. Negotiations were paused during the final weeks of last season as the club focused on their play-off campaign, but Speakman has made clear that securing their futures is a key priority.

“We do a contract review right across the group at the end of every season,” Speakman said. “I think we're in a strong position with the majority of the group this time around, especially with a lot of the players who have performed at a really high level. There are a couple there whose contracts are reducing and we need to have a conversation around that and that will happen in the coming weeks.

He continued: “That's part of trying to build the squad for next season. We don't have anyone out of contract this summer and so that means there isn't an immediate issue for us; we have a little bit of time to reflect. As I always say, it's got to be the right opportunity for the players and for us.”

Meanwhile, Sunderland have already banked a major financial boost with the club-record departure of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund. The 19-year-old midfielder has signed a five-year deal in a move that could eventually be worth up to £32million.

In his first interview with Dortmund’s club media, Bellingham revealed that he considered staying on Wearside following Sunderland’s dramatic play-off final win over Sheffield United. The club, however, opted to cash in, adding a significant windfall to the estimated £200million financial uplift secured through promotion. An additional £10million was raised from the sale of academy prospect Tommy Watson.

Here, we take a closer look at how Sunderland’s 2025-26 squad could shape up, with more arrivals and exits expected.