Sunderland must offer a contract to the young defender ahead of the 2024/25 Championship season after Dan Neil.
Following the appointment of French boss Regis Le Bris, Sunderland are now able to fully plan for the 2024/25 Championship season.
They will be hoping to improve significantly on last season’s 16th place finish which saw the mood in the Stadium of Light plummet towards the end of the campaign.
Sunderland star Dan Neil’s contract looks to have been prioritised by the board as they look to strike up a deal to keep the South Shields born midfielder at the club for the 2024/25 Championship campaign, with talks ongoing.
This positive action of prioritising the future of Sunderland’s young players shown by Kyril Louis-Dreyfus will hopefully show some promise that they will look to offer a contract to a Sunderland defender who will be looking to get his career back on track following a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Sunderland should target new deal for Dennis Cirkin
English defender Dennis Cirkin was hit with injury back in January, leading to an extensive period out of the team.
Cirkin played a significant role in Sunderland’s successful first season back in the Championship in 2022/23 following promotion from League One.
The full back, who can also be utilised through the middle, started the 2023/24 campaign in similar form, however injuries played habit with the 22-year-old, keeping him out since November 2023.
Sunderland fans will be optimistic for talks to take place after Aji Alese was also handed a long term contract, despite injury issues.
Why Sunderland should prioritise their youth talent
Despite his lengthy spell on the sidelines, Cirkin still remains one of the most promising players at the Stadium of Light and should be offered new terms ahead of the new 2024/25 Championship season.
Youth talent is brimming out of the Stadium of Light, especially with the likes of Jobe Bellingham and Jack Clarke, both of which are touting Premier League interest.
These two both hold a hefty price tag, of which if sold could sustain Sunderland massively in the long term.
This could be the case with the likes of Cirkin if he is offered a new deal and is able to build on his prior Championship appearances, with him having such a high potential and being just 22-years-old.
Although Sunderland in the short term should likely make experienced signings, their long term approach of nurturing young talent will prove to be crucial in the long run as they look to build the club back up to Premier League level.