Sunderland have eight league games remaining this season – while the club’s recruitment team will already be looking ahead to the summer transfer window.
The Black Cats were tracking several players during the January transfer window and are bound to be linked with more names in the coming months. For fun, following recent speculation, we’ve put together a possible Sunderland starting XI and bench if the rumours turn out to be true:
17. POTENTIAL SUB: Abdoullah Ba
The 20-year-old signed a five-year deal at Sunderland when he joined the club from French side Le Havre in 2022. Ba has proved to be an important player for the Black Cats this season, making 34 Championship appearances this season. Photo: Frank Reid
18. POTENTIAL SUB: Romaine Mundle
Sunderland signed Mundle for a seven-figure fee from Belgian side Standard Liege in January. The 20-year-old winger signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at the Stadium of Light and has made eight Championship appearances since the move. Photo: Frank Reid
19. POTENTIAL SUB: Patrick Roberts
Sunderland turned down a late bid from Southampton for the winger during last summer’s transfer window. The 27-year-old then signed a new deal with the Black Cats in November, which will run until the summer of 2026, with a club option of an extra year Photo: Frank Reid
20. POTENTIAL SUB: Nazariy Rusyn
Sunderland had been tracking the Ukrainian striker for some time, before reaching an agreement with Zorya Luhansk to sign the 25-year-old last year. Rusyn agreed a four-year contract at the Stadium of Light, with a club option of a further year. Photo: Frank Reid