"Not going to sell him to Leeds United" - Pundit reacts to Dennis Cirkin, Sunderland AFC transfer news | OneFootball

FLW exclusively spoke to Carlton Palmer about Leeds United's reported interest in Sunderland defender Dennis Cirkin

Pundit and former England international Carlton Palmer believes that Sunderland will not sanction the sale of Dennis Cirkin to Leeds United amid emerging reports.

After one third of the 2024/25 Championship campaign, the Black Cats are leading the race for promotion following a blistering start to the season under Regis Le Bris.

The league table is beginning to truly take shape, at least at the very top-end, and Sunderland appear poised to strongly compete within the promotion reckoning all season long despite enduring something of a stagnation over the last week, drawing their last three against QPR, Preston North End and Coventry City.

Sunderland are being closely followed by Daniel Farke's Leeds United, who are just two points behind them in third-place. Though promotion, it would seem, is not the only battle which the two are set to be locked in this term.

Leeds United's transfer interest in Sunderland's Dennis Cirkin

Having developed a young, high-potential squad at a largely low cost, Sunderland will be all-too-expectant of transfer interest in some of their most prized assets, and the latest player to attract admiration elsewhere is Dennis Cirkin.

The 22-year-old left-back was signed in the summer of 2021 from Tottenham Hotspur and has gone on to make 92 appearances and counting, and he's played every single available minute of league action thus far this term having returned to the fold following a lengthy injury lay-off last time out.

His performances for the Black Cats this season haven't gone unnoticed and, according to reports, promotion rivals Leeds are interested in acquiring his signature in January. It's unclear just how much Sunderland value Cirkin at, although the fact his contract expires in 2026 will represent concern and should probably be towards the top of Kristjaan Speakman's to-do list.

However, the option which Tottenham had to return Cirkin to North London through a reported £6 million buy-back clause has now expired, having run out in June 2024.

Carlton Palmer's verdict on Leeds United's interest in Dennis Cirkin of Sunderland

Carlton Palmer believes it's very unlikely that Sunderland will sell such an important player to a promotion rival mid-season, despite Cirkin's current contractual situation potentially placing suitors on red alert.

"Leeds United are reportedly interested in Sunderland's left-back Dennis Cirkin," Palmer exclusively told Football League World.

"I know that this has come about with the situation that his contract expires in 2026, and so that's alerting clubs to the fact he hasn't renewed his deal yet at Sunderland.

"He's been a standout performer for Sunderland this season, which inevitably leads to transfer talk. The ex-Tottenham man arrived at Sunderland in the 2021/22 season and was part of the team that gained promotion under Alex Neil, he played 34 games that season.

"And then after that, he's been limited with injuries, last season he only played eight games. But this season, he's played in every single league game so far and has been outstanding, his performance against Coventry City recently where he scored a brilliant solo effort reminded everyone of how good a player he is.

"The contract situation was that Tottenham did have a buy-back clause at £6 million, that expired in the summer of 2024 but they do have a sell-on clause for him. As I said, he's under contract until 2026.

"The chief executive at Sunderland [Kristjaan Speakman] has said they're in the process of negotiations, they managed to get [Daniel] Ballard, Jobe [Bellingham] and Chris Rigg all committed to the club, as young players you want to be playing football, they're enjoying their football at Sunderland.

"At 22, he's a talent and they're going well.

"There's one thing that's not going to happen, they're not going to sell him to Leeds United. That's for sure. Sunderland are top of the league and Leeds are vying to get promotion, he won't be sold and I would be very, very surprised if he doesn't commit his future to Sunderland in the coming weeks and months.