Sunderland have a lot of work to do to prepare their squad for a Premier League challenge next season.
Sunderland revealed their retained list on Wednesday, confirming that all senior players remain at the club with the exception of returning loanees Chris Mepham and Salis Abdul Samed. However, Wearside is poised to have a very busy transfer season, with a large number of departures expected. Here, we look at the players who are expected to leave on loan or permanently on Wearside…
NECTAR TRIANTIS
Triantis has had an outstanding season at Hibernian, prospering in a holding midfield role and contributing to the club’s third-place finish. Sunderland could have been inclined to take a closer look at the 22-year-old in pre-season if they hadn’t been promoted, but his chances of regular game time have most likely lessened since that triumph over Sheffield United.
The dilemma for Sunderland is whether they will continue to develop him for another season or accept a permanent offer while interest is high. Regardless, they will have no trouble finding a new home for the 22-year-old.
TIMOTHEE PEMBELE
Pembélé appears unlikely to play again next season, with Trai Hume firmly entrenched as the club’s first-choice right back and the club likely to seek extra talent and cover across both full back positions. Pembélé’s contract still has three years to remain, complicating the situation, but Sunderland will hope that a generally decent period at Le Havre, where the defender featured quite often and helped avoid Ligue 1 relegation, attracts new suitors.
ABDOULLAH BA
Sunderland thought that Ba’s move to Ligue 2 side Dunkerque would help him regain match fitness and confidence. Ba played eight times and scored once, but the loan had mixed results overall. The Ligue 2 team made it clear from the start that they would be unable to recruit Ba on a permanent basis, regardless of performance, and the fact that they were eventually unable to earn promotion makes it exceedingly unlikely. Ba’s tremendous quality means that French suitors will likely return, but Sunderland must determine whether it is time to cut their losses.
LUIS HEMIR
Juve Next Gen chose not to exercise their clause to sign Hemir on a permanent basis, thus he will return to Wearside this summer. The striker still has three years left on his current contract, so another loan to help him regain his form and confidence would be an option. Sunderland would most certainly prefer a permanent agreement, but their chances of recouping their whole investment (said to be in the seven-figure range) appear slim at this point.
NAZARIY RUSYN
Hajduk Split has decided not to use their clause to sign Rusyn on a permanent basis. Sunderland, like Hemir, are unlikely to repay the money paid to recruit the forward two years ago, but the priority will be to find the best move for all parties. After struggling to break into the starting lineup under Le Bris earlier this season, he is unlikely to make the Premier League team.
JAY MATETE
Matete demonstrated considerable promise as a midfielder during Sunderland’s promotion to League One, but further injuries hindered his growth. Matete appears to be looking for a permanent move this summer, and considering his good record of gaining promotion from League One, you’d expect at least a few bidders at that level.
PIERRE EKWAH
AS Saint-Etienne’s relegation from Ligue 1 prompted them to opt out of triggering the right-to-buy clause in the loan that saw them recruit Ekwah last summer. That’s obviously a setback for the Black Cats, since it would have been a substantial seven-figure sum. Ekwah played consistently and impressed at times, so Sunderland will be interested, and it could be one of the simpler signings to complete this summer. Ekwah’s fantastic form since coming into the Sunderland side means you can’t completely rule out him making an…
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