Sunderland summer window mapped out amid Serie A striker pursuit | OneFootball

Sunderland’s impressive Premier League return has them planning ahead, sitting ninth with 36 points from 25 games, three off sixth-placed Liverpool before Wednesday’s meeting. Regis Le Bris has excelled and the Stadium of Light remains the league’s only unbeaten home.

Sunderland Echo has tasked X’s AI chatbot, Grok, with sketching a potential summer blueprint, outlining renewals, exits and targets to refine Le Bris’s squad.

The model proposes a new long-term deal for Dennis Cirkin. The 23-year-old left-back’s reliability, overlapping threat and versatility, plus Premier League experience, mark him out as a long-term pillar.

It suggests allowing several contracts to expire. Back-up goalkeeper Simon Moore, 35, should depart to free wages behind Robin Roefs, while winger Bertrand Traoré, 30, and midfielder Harrison Jones should also move on. RB Leipzig loanee Lutsharel Geertruida should return rather than be signed permanently, preserving funds.

Sales are floated too, with 32-year-old Reinildo Mandava seen as a candidate to cash in on, potentially raising £8-12m. Long-serving Luke O'Nien, 31, could also be sold given limited minutes this season, with a mooted £5-8m fee.

Recruitment focuses on a right-back, midfield energy and a striker. Vanderson, 24, is pitched at around £32m to strengthen the flank. Morten Hjulmand, 26, is suggested at £35-45m to add drive alongside Enzo Le Fée, and 20-year-old Argentine Santiago Castro at £28-30m after recent form in Serie A.

Source: Sunderland Echo