Leeds United factor should force Sunderland AFC into player action ASAP | OneFootball

The league leaders hold previous interest in the player, who has just over a year remaining on his contract.

Leeds United and Sunderland recently played out one of the epics of the Championship season, with the league leaders snatching a late 2-1 win at Elland Road.

While the pair are unlikely to do battle again on the pitch this campaign, there is likely to be conflict off it, especially if Leeds reach the Premier League and the Black Cats fall short.

Dennis Cirkin is one of several wanted Sunderland players, and crucially, he will enter the final year of his contract at the Stadium of Light this summer.

Given Daniel Farke's side have shown previous interest in the left-back, Kristjaan Speakman would be wise to act on Cirkin's situation before it is too late.

Leeds United's interest in Cirkin

Sunderland's left-back has been one of the standout performers of the season and has been a consistent fixture in Regis Le Bris' young side.

Given his high level of performance, it is unsurprising that Leeds were credited with interest in the 22-year-old in November, according to the Sunday Mirror (paper edition, 10/11/24, page 69).

Although their interest felt like a precursor to a January bid, nothing materialised in that manner, but they would surely have been aware of Cirkin's current contract situation.

One of the Yorkshire outfit's reported left-back targets, Daniel Svensson, made the loan move to Borussia Dortmund in the winter window and the German giants have the option to buy, which will narrow down their pool of targets.

Junior Firpo is enjoying a fruitful season in the second tier and looks a far more accomplished player than he did during Leeds' Premier League stint.

However, as the club look to strengthen ahead of what looks increasingly like a 2025/26 Premier League campaign, Leeds will be hellbent on adding quality to that position, particularly with Firpo and Sam Byram - Farke's back-up left-back - out of contract this summer.

In early February, Sunderland's director of football addressed the contract situations of several of the Wearsiders' players, including Cirkin.

He said: "We’ve had those conversations with the guys. There’s no question over Dennis or Dan’s (Neil) commitment to Sunderland.

"But I don’t think at the minute, it’s the right moment to be getting into too much of a conversation with them.

"That’s really just down to the short time period we’ve got to the summer. We’ve got so much to achieve, and we need to stay focused."

It feels impossible not to read into Speakman's words, because if Cirkin had been truly committed to the club, then he surely would have signed on the dotted line already.

Clearly, the focus must be on results on the pitch and that is understandable, but if the Black Cats fail to go up and Leeds do, then what is to stop the left-back leaving?

The 22-year-old's importance to the Wearsiders cannot be underestimated due to his attacking threat and admirable defensive statistics this season.

Cirkin ranks in the top 92 percentile in the division or higher for tackles and interceptions, averaging 2.88 tackles per game and 1.48 interceptions per game.

The defender has proved this season what he can achieve when fully fit and his potential is enormous, which is why the Black Cats should act now.

For two of the biggest clubs in the Championship, the ultimate aim is Premier League football, but it looks as though the Wearsiders will face a trickier time reaching that ambition.