Where are they now - Sunderland's last Premier League starting XI

Eight years have passed since Sunderland last played a Premier League fixture - but their absence from the top flight will officially come to an end in August.

The celebrations that followed the Black Cats Championship play-off final win against Sheffield United will live long in the memory - but all focus is now on August and preparing to face the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United in the Premier League.

Sunderland’s last Premier League fixture came with a heavy defeat at Chelsea in a game more remembered for a somewhat bizarre substitute of John Terry as the Blues legend said a final farewell to the club where he had achieved major success throughout his career.

But what has become of the players that represented Sunderland on that same day?

Sunderland’s last Premier League starting XI

Jordan Pickford

The Academy of Light product has firmly established himself as England’s first-choice goalkeeper and looks set to continue playing an integral role in the Three Lions setup under current head coach Thomas Tuchel. Pickford left Sunderland to join Everton in a reported £30m deal just weeks after their relegation was confirmed and remains with the Toffees as they prepare to move into their new stadium this summer.

Billy Jones

The defender made over 80 appearances during a four-year stay at the Stadium of Light and remained with the Black Cats for one more season after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed. Jones departed in the aftermath of a second successive relegation 12 months later to join Rotherham United before ending his career where it had begun with a short loan spell at Crewe Alexandra. He left the club in 2021.

John O’Shea

The former Manchester United defender remained at the Stadium of Light for one more season after relegation from the Premier League was confirmed before going on to spend a solitary season with Reading. He confirmed his retirement at the end of the 2018/19 season and has spent time coaching with the likes of Birmingham City and Stoke City. O’Shea is currently assistant manager to Republic of Ireland team manager Heimir Hallgrímsson.

Joleon Lescott

A short-term signing as Sunderland fought an unsuccessful battle against the drop, the former Manchester City and England centre-back left the Stadium of Light at the end of the season and brought down the curtain on his playing career. Lescott has made a playing comeback in the Baller League, featuring for a Deportrio FC side managed by Gary Lineker, Micah Richards and Alan Shearer.

Javier Manquillo

The Spanish full-back actually scored Sunderland’s last Premier League goal. Manquillo returned to parent club Atletico Madrid after Sunderland’s relegation and joined Newcastle on a permanent deal later that summer. A seven-year spell on Tyneside came to an end in January last year as Manquillo returned to Spain to join Celta Vigo and remains there to this day.

Seb Larsson

The popular Sweden international left Sunderland after their relegation was confirmed and spent the 2017/18 season at Hull City before making the final move of his career by returning to his home country with AIK. Larsson retired in 2022 and is now assistant manager to Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Lee Cattermole

Cattermole remained at Sunderland until the summer of 2019 after ten years at the Stadium of Light. After a trial with VVV-Venlo, the midfielder joined the Dutch Eredivisie club later that summer - but was released at the end of his first season in the Netherlands after the campaign was abandoned due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After moving into coach with Middlesbrough Under-18s, Cattermole has spent time coaching at Bristol Rovers and is believed to be keen to move into management.

Jack Rodwell

The former Everton midfielder left Sunderland after they suffered relegation into League One in 2018 and is arguably one of the poorest signings in the club’s recent history. After failing to kickstart his career at Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United, Rodwell headed down under to join Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney but is currently without a club after leaving the latter last summer.

Bryan Oviedo

Another former Everton star, Oviedo remained at Sunderland until the summer of 2019 when he returned to former club FC Copenhagen. After spending three years with the Danish Superliga outfit, Oviedo moved to MLS side Real Salt Lake before returning to his native Costa Rica with Alajuelense in 2024 but is set to depart when his current contract comes to an end.

Adnan Januzaj

The Belgium international never really hit the heights during a loan spell at the Stadium of Light and returned to Manchester United at the end of the 2016/17 season. After spending five years with Real Sociedad following a permanent move to the La Liga club, Januzaj moved to Sevilla in 2022 and has spent time on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir and Las Palmas over the last two seasons. He will return to Sevilla this summer and still has one year left on his deal.

Fabio Borini

A former Wear-Tyne derby hero, Borini spent time on loan at AC Milan before leaving Wearside for the Serie A giants on a permanent basis during the summer of 2018. Since then he has played for the likes of Hellas Verona and Turkish club Karagümrük. Borini has spent the last two seasons with Sampdoria - but will leave this summer when his contract comes to an end.

Subs: Darron Gibson (Retired), Lynden Gooch (Free agent after leaving Stoke City), Vito Mannone (Lille), Donald Love (Accrington Stanley), Joel Asoro (Metz), Josh Maja (West Bromwich Albion), Elliot Embleton (Carlisle United)

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