Sunderland could be set to face interest in one of their brightest young prospects this summer

Few transfers this summer have generated more headlines than Yan Diomandé's move to Real Madrid from RB Leipzig, which after a protracted wait now finally seems to be heading towards completion.

The saga has now somewhat surprisingly brought Sunderland into its orbit, with various sources reporting that Chemsdine Talbi is one of the players who the German club have shortlisted to replace him. This makes sense when you consider that Talbi now has considerable experience both at club and international level who still has a lot of room for development, is versatile and brings a speed and dribbling ability perfect for the Red Bull style. Whether interest materialises into something beyond that remains to be seen, with Lyon's Malick Fofana another touted candidate.

News of RB Leipzig's interest in Talbi nevertheless drew some understandable anxiety from the Sunderland fanbase, during a window which to date has only brought one signing in free agent Thomas Meunier. The Talbi news broke at the same time West Ham United were being heavily linked with Wilson Isidor, leaving some worried that Sunderland were at risk of leaving themselves underpowered for the historic season that lies ahead. The mood is a long way from panic at this stage, which is testament to the trust that the club hierarchy have built up over the last few years.

Isidor's situation appears at least at this stage resolved, with Sunderland making clear that they do not intend to sell him and with West Ham as a result seemingly moving onto other targets. Talbi may draw more headlines yet given that Diomandé's departure will put well over £100 million in RB Leipzig's pocket, but it's worth noting that Sunderland could hardly be in a stronger position.

The relatively slow transfer window so far is based on the fact that Sunderland are exceptionally bullish about retaining their key talents in this window, leaving only a handful of gaps in the squad that need filling. Such is Sunderland's belief in the core of the side that finished last season, and so strong is the feeling that the run to the Europa League was just the start of this group's journey, that they firmly believe the right approach is to invest in a small number of high quality additions.

Every player has a price and there are very few 'untouchables' in the squad - Granit Xhaka is probably one and underlines how well Sunderland did to fight off Chelsea's interest. At this stage, though, Sunderland simply do not need to sell. They were confident that they would be able to meet the Premier League's new squad cost ratio sales this season when they were first introduced, reflected in the fact that they voted for their implementation. And though qualifying for the Europa League poses a challenge in that UEFA's equivalent rule is stricter, there was a quiet confidence behind the scenes that Sunderland should be ok if they executed their plan. Sunderland were then able to negotiate a bumper fee for Eliezer Mayenda, who joined Stade Rennais in a deal that could eventually be worth £22 million. The sale represents some risk for the Black Cats in that they know Mayenda has the talent to go on and be worth far more than that, and yet it was undeniably an excellent deal given that he still hasn't played much top-tier football and was highly unlikely to be a regular starter next season. Sources believe that while not transformative to Sunderland's SCR position, it's a move which has generated more valuable headroom and crucially, means further sales this summer aren't necessary to create space for the planned incomings. Of course the Black Cats have work to do and ideally they will find new clubs for the players unlikely to have a part to play this season, easing the pressure on their wage bill as a result. Manage that, and they'll be where they need to be for the season ahead.

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They are also exceptionally well placed as a result of their contract management, which means that the vast majority of the players in their squad are signed up for years to come. There are a few notable exceptions, Isidor being one (two years left) and Romaine Mundle another which could mean the winger moves on this summer given the competition for places in his position. Talbi, though, is one of many who still have four years left to run on the deals they signed when joining the club last summer. The only way he leaves, for RB Leipzig or any other club, is if a bid arrives that is simply too good to turn down. Were that to be the case, then in Nilson Angulo Sunderland would have another starter in his position and there would be significant scope to reinvest.

Player sales are going to be an inevitable part of Sunderland's journey, and part of the club's strength in recent times has been recognising the moment to do so. Maintaining that positive SCR position is a process that requires ongoing management, particularly given that down the line the sales of Jobe Bellingham and Tommy Watson will drop out of the calculations as the cycle renews. Sunderland also know that the only way to get talented young players to sign the long-term deals that give them such strength is to demonstrate consistently that they won't block the right opportunity at the right time down the line.

Players will continue to leave but if more players are linked with an exit this summer, it's worth remembering that any departure in this window will be purely on Sunderland's terms.

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