Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has revealed that work is being done to extend the contracts of Dan Neil and Dennis Cirkin.
Recently, the Black Cats signed new contracts with players like Jobe Bellingham and Dan Ballard and signed Chris Rigg to his first professional contract.
Neil has just two years left on his current contract, despite being named club captain over the summer.
Cirkin, meanwhile, has started all four of the team’s championship games this season and has contributed one assist and one goal (all figures courtesy of Fbref).
Concerns over both players’ futures are raised by the fact that the left-back’s present contract is coming to an end after two years.
Speakman opens up on Sunderland contract situation
After the summer transfer window closed, Speakman said that the club is still monitoring the issue with Cirkin and Neil.
He has stated that they are constantly working on contract signings and emphasised how critical it was to bind Bellingham, Rigg, and Ballard in the most recent months.
Speakman told The Northern Echo, “It’s [contracts for Neil and Cirkin] definitely on our radar.”
“The problem with contracts is that after one is finished, there are always more that are getting closer.
In that way, it’s similar to painting the Forth Bridge.
It’s a continuous task, and we’ve always made an effort to be ahead of the game in that area.
“Given their importance to the squad, their calibre of play, and their financial worth, I believe it was fantastic for us to have Chris Rigg, Jobe, and Ballard recommit to the team.
The boys’ sense of comfort in devoting themselves here made us very happy.
But we’re still on the trip, and we want to hold onto our top employees.
“I’ve said before that retaining talent is often harder than acquiring fresh talent, but we’ll continue to trying to do that and trying to make sure we keep ourselves in a really positive place with our squad composition.”
Sunderland’s start to the Championship season
| Championship standings 2024/25 | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Sunderland | 4 | +9 | 12 |
| 2 | West Brom | 4 | +4 | 10 |
| 3 | Watford | 4 | +4 | 9 |
| 4 | Leeds United | 4 | +4 | 8 |
With 12 points from a possible 12, Sunderland is the only team in the Championship with a perfect record after four games.
With victories over Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth, Cardiff City, and Burnley, the team had the top spot heading into the September international break.
Regis le Bris will be hoping that the group can continue its strong play and contend for a promotion this next season.
On September 14, Sunderland will travel to play Plymouth Argyle.
Keeping on top of contracts is key for Sunderland’s strategy
Sunderland’s recruitment approach is based on the acquisition of young players at comparatively low costs, who are then developed into highly valuable possibilities through consistent playing time.
Making ensuring the athletes don’t exhaust their contracts in the last 12 months is crucial to maintaining their high value.
Their plan depends on staying on top of things, so supporters will be happy with the recent efforts made in that regard.
Both Cirkin and Neil have made a good impression since the beginning of the current campaign under Le Bris, therefore new deals will be earned if they can be agreed upon.
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