Sunderland summer plan as Régis Le Bris says three or four signings needed for Europa League | OneFootball

Régis Le Bris has set out Sunderland’s summer requirements as the club prepare to combine Premier League and Europa League football after a breakthrough campaign.

“It’s going to be different because, on average, a team who starts in Europe is supposed to lose 10 points in the league. We’ll need three or four more consistent players in different positions, so that we can manage the schedule.” He told The Telegraph.

“And it’s clear, we need to recover quickly, we need to prepare quickly, we need to debrief quickly. So it’s going to be challenging. But it’s not boring, and everybody should be excited.”

The Black Cats clinched Europe on the final day against Chelsea, finishing seventh for their first European campaign since 1973-74, and only the club’s fifth top-10 top-flight finish in 70 years.

Next season brings a different test, with at least eight Europa League fixtures alongside Premier League duties plus the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. Last summer’s ambitious recruitment paid off, and the brief now is to add quality without unsettling the culture and balance built under Le Bris.

The first team are expected to return under Le Bris in early July before a first friendly at York City on Saturday, July 18. Sunderland will then head to the United States to face Liverpool, Leeds United and Wrexham, followed by a double-header with RC Lens in Europe. Their final warm-up is at home to Stade Rennais on Saturday, August 15, a week before the 2026-27 Premier League begins.

Source: Sunderland Echo