Sunderland have well and truly hit the jackpot in Regis Le Bris. Appointed ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, the French coach guided the Black Cats straight into the Premier League and is now looking to finish in the top half.
Sitting 11th in the table with seven games to play, Sunderland are just six points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool and could have the fuel for a stunning finish to the season after last weekend’s stunning win over Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.
The Tyne-Wear Derby hasn’t been an exciting one for Newcastle in recent memory, and the fact that the Black Cats pounced on their bitter rivals with a win only adds insult to injury.
Sunderland still need to improve in the final third, however, with wing play leaving something to be desired. Although Le Bris will be confident of using the summer transfer window to strengthen, it is a shame that Jack Clarke is not at the club.
Why Sunderland sold Jack Clarke
Clarke now plays for Ipswich Town in the Championship, and was one of their key players during the promotion period, scoring 14 goals in 30 games this season.
That kind of strong edge would have gone a long way for Sunderland this season, perhaps proving the difference in the dream battle for a ticket to Europe.
The 25-year-old has developed into a key player for the Black Cats, but he is set to be sold for £15m in 2024. Given Sunderland’s subsequent rise, it’s unlikely that fans will be losing too much sleep over it all, but Clarke is still developing and could play a role in this top-flight club.
Sunderland need to improve in the bottom three this summer. Wilson Isidor, for example, has failed to adapt to the Premier League, and has been firmly displaced by the powerful Brian Brobbey.
Le Bris will be planning to make a few changes this summer, and one player looks like he may be on the way this summer who was actually ahead of Clarke in a striking way, and perhaps contributed to the sale of the bulldozer boys.
The Sunderland star who was ahead of Clarke must be sold
Sunderland have worked hard to make it to the Premier League and settle in an impressive mid-table position. Now they must continue to build, and that may mean parting ways with wingers such as Romaine Mundle.
A “terrible” win, as described by journalist Josh Bunting, Mundle is no doubt dynamic and dangerous when on his A-game, but he has failed to provide a direct or creative threat to Le Bris’ side this season, yet he has created the most chances while averaging 0.1 shots on target per game.
Sunderland signed the young Mundle from Standard Liege in Belgium in February 2024. It was a fee of £2m, and he played his part, but the outfit may have overtaken their young heir Clarke.
In fact, the London-born striker has the opportunity to participate in the Sunderland team, but there is an improvement, and since he has only started twice in the Premier League this season, he is likely to be finished at the Stadium of Light, strengthening the attacking team should be at the top of the club’s summer goals.
Back in 2024, former Sunderland player Marco Gabbiadini backed Mundle to surpass Clarke after his move to Portman Road, saying, “In many ways, his wing play is better than Clarke’s. Whether he’ll be a good goalscorer, I don’t know. But I think his wing play is much better and he can move a little bit more.”
Sunderland need not fear a late-stage dogfight, and will now plan ahead. While Mundle’s versatility on the pitch underlines his importance, it is less important if he is not producing on the pitch and is running out of money on the sidelines, not trusted by Le Bris.
|
Romaine Mundle – Career Statistics by Position |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Applications |
Terms + Help |
|
The winner is on the left |
56 |
9 + 6 |
|
The winner is right |
36 |
6 + 5 |
|
A wing-back |
10 |
2 + 3 |
|
Field attack |
5 |
0 + 2 |
|
A wing-back |
4 |
1 + 0 |
|
Center-forward |
3 |
0 + 0 |
|
Right back |
1 |
1 + 0 |
Sunderland are in strong form, and the fact that Mundle could be sent elsewhere underlines the incredible growth over the past few years.
The 22-year-old’s winter exit weighed heavily, but Sunderland ultimately decided to keep him until the end of the campaign. However, his fortunes have not changed, so an exit seems inevitable.
He could end up at Sunderland, but if they let Mundle go, they’ll need to make sure they step it up.
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