Kristjaan Speakman on Sunderland’s summer transfer window

The “most difficult challenge” facing Sunderland this summer will be “maintaining the level of quality” of players brought in on the back of previous windows, according to Black Cats sporting director Kristjaan Speakman.

Speakman has warned that while the North East club are heading into the window “trying to evolve and improve the team”, they will only move for “the right individuals who are going to contribute to the team in the short and the long term”.

Sunderland summer transfer plans

The Black Cats are looking to build on an outstanding first season back in the Championship, which saw them finish sixth and reach the play-off semi-final – where they were beaten by Luton Town.

Tony Mowbray is likely to be better equipped to lead a promotion push next term after injuries meant he was without some of his key players this term, including star striker Ross Stewart, captain Corry Evans, and, for the play-offs, first choice centre-back duo Dan Ballard and Danny Batth.

Mowbray will have those players back in 2023/24 as well as some new arrivals as Sunderland are expected to be busy again this summer.

Speakman has suggested the club are keen to make improvements but want to ensure any new arrivals are up to the right standard.

He said (via Sunderland Echo): “We’ll go into the transfer window as we always do, trying to evolve and improve the team.

“We feel there are areas that require strengthening, some of those are more obvious than others.

“But we are only ever going to try and acquire the right players that are the right types of players, the right individuals who are going to contribute to the team in the short and the long term.

“I think for us maintaining the level of quality we have brought in is going to be the most difficult challenge because the team has evolved and also the standard that is required is increasing.

“I think myself and the recruitment staff are relishing that challenge and the work is well underway on that.

“Hopefully we can be quite early to the summer market and that gives us the best opportunity to be well-prepared for next season.”

Sunderland 2022 summer transfer window

The Black Cats made seven permanent signings last summer – Aji Alese, Abdoullah Ba, Dan Ballard, Alex Bass, Jewison Bennette, Jack Clarke, and Leon Dajaku – as well as bringing in three players on loan – Manchester United’s Amad Diallo, PSG’s Edouard Michut, and Everton’s Ellis Simms.

The focus was on players with high potential but many of them proved ready to contribute straight away.