Sunderland’s Europa League list puzzle Florent Ghisolfi must solve this summer | OneFootball

Sunderland’s Europa League return hands Florent Ghisolfi a registration puzzle, with UEFA rules dictating which players can be listed and which cannot.

According to Sunderland Echo, UEFA’s March 2026 guidance caps List A at 25 with eight locally trained players. No more than four can be association-trained, and any shortfall reduces squad size.

Association-trained options include Leo Hjelde, Simon Moore, Dan Ballard and Luke O’Nien, and the exits of Dennis Cirkin and Bertrand Traoré should not strain that quota. Trai Hume does not qualify because he developed at Linfield.

Chris Rigg is club-trained but can sit on List B at 18, while Anthony Patterson would count yet is expected to move on. Eliezer Mayenda’s loan to Hibernian interrupts club-trained status.

List B is unlimited but only for those born on or after one January 2005 with two uninterrupted years since 15, or three consecutive with a one-year domestic loan.

Heavy overseas recruitment could tighten numbers and force omissions, while UEFA also requires at least two List A goalkeepers and three overall. Ghisolfi and Régis Le Bris must balance seniors, locally trained options, academy depth and List B flexibility.

List A is due on two September 2026, with List B submissions allowed until 23:59 CET the day before each match, and up to three new eligible players may be added before the knockouts by four February 2027. The rules could shape exits, loans and targets. Any Romaine Mundle sale could alter the list.

Source: Sunderland Echo