'Sunderland set for £12.5m transfer boost' ahead of Premier League return
Sunderland will be looking to raise some extra funds to sign new players in the summer transfer window.
With their first Premier League campaign in eight years approaching, Sunderland will be well aware of how much work they need to do in the summer transfer window.
Incomings at the Stadium of Light are certainly needed, though Regis Le Bris will also need to decide on the future of several players already on Wearside.
Several fringe players will be returning from loan spells, while others who have sat on the sidelines could also be sold to generate more funds to use to bolster their squad.
Le Bris needs to dispose of fringe players on Wearside
Overall, Sunderland have a good squad, though there are several players who have had little to no part to play in their return to the Premier League.
Among those out on loan are Timothee Pembele, Nazari Rusyn, Pierre Ekwah, Abdoullah and Adil Aouchciche, with Ian Poveda another who has offered nothing to the Mackems since arriving.
| Sunderland | Club |
| Pierre Ekwah | Saint-Etienne |
| Abdoullah Ba | Dunkerque |
| Timothee Pembele | Le Havre |
| Adil Aouchiche | Portsmouth |
| Nazariy Rusyn | Hadjuk Split |
| Nectar Triantis | Hibernian |
| Luis Semedo | Juventus B |
| Jay Matete | Bolton |
| Nathan Bishop | Hajduk Split |
From those players on loan, Sunderland could generate an additional £12.5million in revenue if they were sold for close to their market value [Transfermarkt], with plenty of others to consider as well.
Almost all of the above will be expected to leave this summer, with very little room, if any, for them in Sunderland's Premier League squad.
In order to bridge the gap between the Championship and the Premier League, the Black Cats will need to recruit very, very well, and they will need to make the most of the funds they have available to do so.
Kristjaan Speakman set for biggest test yet
Kristjaan Speakman has done an excellent job on the recruitment front on Wearside, though recruiting for Premier League football brings a brand new set of challenges that he won't have faced before.
All six of the last promoted teams have fallen straight back down into the Championship, and Speakman will have a huge role to play in Sunderland's attempts to break that trend next season.
This summer is huge for Sunderland, and they can't afford to make any mistakes.