Florent Ghisolfi shares heartwarming message that Sunderland fans will love
Sunderland took significant steps this summer to build a squad capable of competing in the Premier League.
While Kristjaan Speakman has done an admirable job over the years, he has been aided by Florent Ghisolfi’s arrival at the Stadium of Light.
Together, Speakman and Ghisolfi signed players from the foreign markets who are already proving to be promising talents.
Now, Sunderland’s director of football has shared a message with supporters that will build excitement on Wearside.
Florent Ghisolfi shows his witty side in Sunderland message
One of Ghisolfi’s jobs was to find Sunderland a centre-back, and while that search seemed ever-lasting, he finally bagged a couple of players.
Indeed, the 40-year-old did a stellar job of convincing quality players to move to the North East, and now Regis Le Bris’ squad is brimming with talent.
Such is the work that he has done that many have said that Ghisolfi himself is Sunderland’s best signing of the summer.
Prior to his move to England, he was Roma’s technical director, where he was responsible for signing Enzo Le Fee.
- Ghisolfi worked as sporting director for RC Lens (2022-2024) and Roma (2024-2025)
- At Lens, he oversaw promotion to Ligue 1
- He held roles in coaching before moving to executive work
“Nice to discover you, Sunderland AFC,” Ghisolfi said on his Instagram account on 11 September.
“After two intense months, 1879 coffees, and 14 new signings… I just want to thank our staff and our fans for the warm welcome.
“This is the start of a new red and white chapter. Together, we keep building.
“Grit. Graft. Sunderland.”
Read more: Sunderland can do something never achieved with win vs Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park
Why being proactive can keep the Black Cats in the Premier League
In the past, Sunderland were very much a reactive club, and this played a key role in their downfall.
This was particularly evident in the Premier League, when they would plug gaps with short-term signings who would end up leaving for a financial loss.
Furthermore, the decision to sign Will Grigg, as seen in the Netflix documentary, was perhaps the biggest signpost of this.
However, the Black Cats are a different club now, and that is largely thanks to Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and how he has run the club.
- Louis-Dreyfus became Sunderland chairman aged 23 in 2021
- Gradually increased his stake in the North East club
- Was sensible with spending before a big outlay this summer
After winning the Championship play-offs, Sunderland could have been forgiven if they were not ready for the step up, but in fact, they had been planning for this outcome for some time.
In hiring Le Bris, the Black Cats have a tactical genius who has implemented a style of play that suits playing in the Premier League.
Moreover, appointing Ghisolfi has allowed them to have more hands on deck, meaning they were able to graft harder in the market.
With all the pieces in place, there is no reason why the North East club cannot compete at the top table.
Sign up for the Mackem News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Sunderland AFC news sent straight to your phone.