Régis Le Bris
Sunderland AFC is actively seeking opportunities to offload several players who are not part of the first-team plans for the current Premier League season. Manager Régis Le Bris has expressed optimism that some of these players might still secure moves, despite the slow progress in finding new clubs. The Black Cats had informed a number of their squad members at the beginning of the summer that they were free to explore other options, but with only a few transfer windows still open, time is running out.
Régis Le Bris said: “Maybe one or two opportunities are still possible [for players to leave]. But after that, they will be around the squad. So the current process is still the same. We need 20, 21, 22 players to organise a session. So after that player 23, 24, 25, it will depend on injuries, the way we can manage the load. We can have two or three more involved in the process. After that, you have to train with the second squad.”
Le Bris added: “I think it starts with conversation. It’s always like that. If they are aware of the situation, we have to step up in this Premier League. The gap is huge. And we want to fill this gap, but we need time to do it. For example, we can speak about Enzo. Enzo didn’t start. Wilson didn’t start, but they trust the process.”
Sunderland has already managed to arrange loan deals for Nazariy Rusyn and Milan Aleksic, who have moved to the Polish top tier. However, with the Turkish and Greek transfer windows closing imminently, and the Mexican window closing on September 13th, options are becoming limited. The club’s 25-man squad for the Premier League season has been announced, excluding several fringe players such as Ian Poveda, Joe Anderson, Abdoullah Ba, Jay Matete, and Timothee Pembele. These players, if unable to secure moves, will likely find themselves training with Sunderland’s U21 squad.
The club also retains the option to loan younger players to National League clubs, where there is no transfer deadline. This flexibility could provide a valuable opportunity for development and match experience for those not currently in the first-team setup. Le Bris remains committed to ensuring that all players feel included in the club’s long-term vision, emphasizing the importance of patience and trust in the process.
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