Sunderland AFC transfer news RECAP: Contract talk latest as Lee Johnson eyes first addition
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The Black Cats are looking to build a squad capable of achieving League One promotion as the club prepare for a fourth straight season in the third tier.
Seven players were released last week – including the likes of Grant Leadbitter, Max Power and Chris Maguire.
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Hide AdThe clearout came after the Black Cats were knocked out in the play-off semi-final by Lincoln City in from of 10,000 supporters at the Stadium of Light.
New deals have been offered to Denver Hume, Luke O’Nien, Aiden McGeady and Charlie Wyke, as supporters await further updates.
Meanwhile, owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus publicly backed Lee Johnson as the two look to press ahead with the transfer plans alongside sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and head of recruitment Stuart Harvey.
Here are the big stories from around the Stadium of Light and League One as Sunderland prepare for a huge summer:
RECAP: Sunderland AFC transfer news (June 1)
Key Events
- Sunderland are set for a busy summer in the transfer market - after releasing seven players.
- The Black Cats are hopeful of quick answers from the four players they have offered new contracts to.
- Elliot Embleton has been linked with a permanent exit after helping Blackpool to promotion.
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Henderson and Pickford make Euros squad
Former Sunderland duo Jordan Henderson and Jordan Pickford have been included in Gareth Southgate’s 26-man England squad for Euro 2020.
Southgate named a provisional 33-man squad last week but had to cut that down to 26 before the tournament which starts on Friday, June 11.
Aaron Ramsdale, Ben Godfrey, Ben White, James Ward-Prowse, Jesse Lingard, Ollie Watkins and the injured Mason Greenwood are the seven who have been left out.
Liverpool captain Henderson, 30, hasn’t played a competitive match since February due to a groin injury but is expected to be fit for the tournament.
England’s 26-man squad in full:
Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton).
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham).
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Raheem Sterling (Man City).
What next for Elliot Embleton?
The youngster has been linked with an exit, but Sunderland’s stance has been clear...
Kristjaan Speakman hopeful of speedy resolution on contract front
Kristjaan Speakman says that Sunderland will look to reduce the timeline on contract talks with their out-of-contract quartet as much as possible.
But the club’s sporting director is well aware of the fact that the players will also be attracting rival interest.
The Black Cats confirmed their retained and released last week, and are keen to keep four players on Wearside for the 2021/22 season.
Aiden McGeady, Denver Hume and Luke O’Nien have all been offered new contracts by the club while discussions are ongoing with top scorer Charlie Wyke.
Talks will continue this week and Speakman is hopeful for as quick a decision as possible from the quartet, but knows there will be outside interest.
Kristjaan SpeakmanWe’ve been in discussions with those guys and their representatives.
It’s always going to be a difficult period because they are players that have done well for us, hence we want to re-engage them.
But obviously because they’ve done well for Sunderland, there’s other people going ‘these guys have done well for Sunderland, and we would also be interested in them’.
It’s going to be a piece of work which we want to try and reduce the timeline as quick as possible and therefore is helps us on our platform for where we’re going and who we might be looking at in the future months.