Sunderland must cement Premier League status with Neil and Cirkin announcements
Sunderland dramatically secured their Premier League status by defeating Sheffield United in the final minutes at Wembley Stadium.
The 2-1 play-off final win summed up the Black Cats’ motto of ’til the end’, with Tommy Watson bagging a 95th-minute winner.
Now, their attention turns to the summer transfer window, but the Wearsiders face some key decisions involving their squad, with speculation going wild already.
Captain Dan Neil and left-back Dennis Cirkin are likely to be in the spotlight given their current situations.
Sunderland face Neil and Cirkin contract situations
While not many expected Sunderland to reach the Premier League, they now have some crucial decisions to make.
If the Black Cats had lost, then it would have triggered the end of several players’ stays at the Stadium of Light, with clubs circling.
Enzo Le Fee is one of those players, but his permanent future on Wearside has been confirmed after the huge win.
However, the futures of Neil and Cirkin would also have been cast into doubt as they enter the final year of their contracts this summer.
| Players who are out of contract in June 2026 | Dan Neil, Dennis Cirkin, Patrick Roberts, Simon Moore, Luke O’Nien, Joe Anderson, Niall Huggins, Blondy Nna Noukeu |
Director of football Kristjaan Speakman addressed their contract situations earlier in the year, stating he would wait until the end of the season before entering talks.
While it was not said, the belief was that Neil and Cirkin wanted to wait to see which division Sunderland would be playing in before committing their futures.
Now that the North East club’s fate has been confirmed, the duo are likely to come into the immediate spotlight, if they can bypass Jobe Bellingham.
Black Cats should secure Neil and Cirkin futures
Sunderland will need their best players to compete in the Premier League, and Neil and Cirkin have shone this season.
Cirkin enjoyed an emphatic start to the campaign and was a threat going forward, while looking assured defensively.
However, the left-back has looked shaky towards the back end of the Championship and has been targeted by wingers, standing up when it counts.
As for Neil, he elevated his game to another level after a trying start to the season as Regis Le Bris’ captain.
Neil himself admitted that his performances had not been up to scratch, but his game has improved significantly.
The Black Cats’ captain has put in some assured performances and has looked every bit the leader he was born to be.
There has been interest in both, with Everton and West Ham keen on Neil, while Wolves have shown interest in Cirkin.
Sunderland’s best bet would be to tie both players down to new deals, as they can be the future of the North East club.
It’s time to make a statement.