Sunderland ‘set for transfer agony’ amid play-off final developments – Exclusive
Sunderland could be set for a major summer of change.
Regis Le Bris has guided his side to the Championship play-off final against Sheffield United at Wembley on 24 May.
Only one side can secure promotion to the Premier League in the richest game in football, with an estimated £220million windfall.
If the Black Cats fail to overcome Chris Wilder’s side, it could hamper their plans for the future with a brutal knock-on effect.
Sunderland set for transfer misery if they lose at Wembley
The Stadium of Light outfit are expected to have a dismal summer transfer window if they lose to the Blades.
Chris Rigg and Dan Neil are attracting significant interest from top-flight clubs, while Jobe Bellingham could be the subject of a bidding war from teams all over Europe, including the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
TV commentator Ian Darke believes that the Black Cats would struggle to keep hold of those stars if they fail to secure promotion.
Speaking exclusively to Mackem News, he said: “If they are stuck in the Championship, yeah, it will be hard to hold onto those players.
“They are probably going to lose at least one of them, you would think and will have to think again.
“It will be disappointing, but that is the play-offs for you, it is a bit of a sea of heartbreak, isn’t it.
“There is all this talk of people getting into the play-offs, but for three of the four of them, it ends in agony.”
Premier League football could persuade exit-linked Sunderland stars to stay
Every player dreams of testing themselves at the top level of the game, and if the Mackems secure a promotion berth, it will allow them to do so without leaving.
| Stats (Championship) | Bellingham | Rigg | Neil |
| Matches | 40 | 42 | 44 |
| Goals | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Assists | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Minutes played | 3,507 | 3,070 | 3,882 |
Surely being a part of a Sunderland side in the top-flight would be more special than moving to a club where they are just another player.
It remains to be seen whether the exit-linked aces depart in the summer but the North East outfit could do themselves a huge favour if they beat their Sheffield rivals in the end-of-season showdown.