Every major transfer decision Sunderland and Kristjaan Speakman made this summer rated and assessed

After the implosion of the 2023/24 campaign and its hugely disappointing finish, this was always going to be a crucial summer for sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and Sunderland.

There was a new head coach to hire and a number of important decisions to be made in the transfer market following two underwhelming windows. While still too early to make a full judgement, nine games in we can begin to draw some conclusions on how they fared. Here, we rate every key decision and deliver an early verdict…

Hiring Regis Le Bris

So far, so good. Le Bris implemented an impressive defensive structure that delivered spectacular early results, has shown complete trust in the club’s young players and won over fans with his understated but honest communication. Still early days but Speakman and Sunderland’s biggest summer call has so far proved to be a good one. 

Rating: 8/10

Simon Moore (In, free agent)

Moore has added experience both to the goalkeeping group and the dressing room more broadly. A sensible addition with Anthony Patterson’s place in the team never really in question.

Rating: 6/10

Corry Evans (released)

Evans has recently signed for Bradford City following his departure from Sunderland. A fine servant to the club and a crucial player in their League One promotion. The right call to move on after injury limited his involvement last season. The key was always in replacing him, and the jury is still out on that.

Rating: 6/10

Bradley Dack (released)

Dack struggled with a hamstring injury for the second half of last season and is yet to make an appearance for his new club Gillingham as he builds towards fitness. The obvious decision to part ways and Sunderland have replaced his experience well in Browne. In truth, this was a signing that really didn’t work out and it cost Sunderland last season. 

Rating: 6/10

Alex Bass (Notts County, sold)

The right decision to let Bass leave in search of regular football and to recoup some funds after a good loan at AFC Wimbledon the season previous was a positive move.

Rating: 7/10

Nathan Bishop (Loan, Wycombe Wanderers)

Sunderland will hope Bishop can follow a similar route to Bass. Hasn’t been able to feature much for Wycombe due to injury, which will hopefully change as the season develops.

Rating: 6/10

Alan Browne (In, free agent)

Browne has already made a real impact on the pitch despite suffering a couple of niggling injuries that have prevented him starting week in, week out. Brings real maturity to the midfield blend and plenty of quality in possession, too. Adding a midfielder with real Championship experience was an absolute must at the start of the summer window and Browne was a very strong addition. A complete bargain, really.

Rating: 8.5/10

Matty Young (Loan, Salford City)

Young hasn’t featured regularly in the League but is playing in the cups and that seems a decent balance for his first loan in the EFL. Exposure to the realities of senior football at a League Two club day in, day out is massive for a goalkeeper so young. Will undoubtedly benefit him in the future. 

Rating: 7/10

Ian Poveda (In, free agent)

Poveda is yet to make his first start and is facing another few weeks on the sidelines with a muscle injury. His signing was something of a risk having missed a lot of football in recent seasons and so far he hasn’t been able to make an impact. Poveda signed a long-term deal so there’s still a lot of time for him to show his quality. 

Rating: 5/10

Elliot Embleton (Blackpool, sold)

Sad to see such a talented homegrown player depart, mainly due to injury frustration over the previous eighteen months. All the same, hard not to ultimately agree that a fresh start is probably in his best interests. 

Rating: 6/10

Jay Matete (Bolton Wanderers, loan)

Matete needed match minutes after an injury-hit second half of last season and to secure a move to a League One side with serious promotion credentials was a very good outcome for all parties. Should leave everyone in a good position to make an informed decision on the best steps in the summer. 

Rating: 7/10

Wilson Isidor (Zenit, loan)

Still settling into the club and a new division but the signs are encouraging. Signed due to his versatility and Le Bris has hinted he was expected to play most off the left, but he’s shown a very welcome poacher’s instinct in a spell playing through the middle. A big character with the capacity to become a real fan favourite. Looks like a clever pick up on early evidence.

Rating: 8/10

Jack Clarke (Ipswich Town, sold)

There’s two aspects to this deal. That Sunderland have been able to bank a vast profit on a player who had only been at the club permanently for a couple of years is impressive, and even more impressive that they had managed to get a ready-made replacement through the door for a fraction of the price. It was brave to let Clarke go and put faith in Mundle, a decision with a huge financial upside for the club. It wasn’t a transformative deal all the same, with many fans feeling the fee was on the low side given what he had produced in front of goal in the previous campaign. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Milan Aleksic (In, FK Radnicki)

An exciting addition and a real coup given the interest in him over the summer. Will take time to settle but the good thing this season is Sunderland’s options in midfield mean that isn’t really a problem at this stage.

Rating: 7/10

Ahmed Abdullahi (In, Gent)

Just impossible to judge at this stage. Sunderland are confident his impact over a long period of time will far outweigh the frustration of his initial absence due to a groin injury. The initial frustration may have been that Sunderland didn’t add more experience up front but in fairness, Aaron Connolly has the chance to change that in the weeks ahead.

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Chris Mepham (In, Bournemouth)

Aji Alese’s injury was one of the most disappointing setbacks of a brilliant start to the season, and left Sunderland short of depth at centre back with Dan Ballard working his way back to full fitness following a pre-season impacted by an injury of his own. Sunderland showed ambition and efficiency to gazump their rivals who had been eyeing a move for Mepham. He’s slotted seamlessly into the squad and the team - a strong bit of business that highlighted a welcome flexibility. 

Rating: 9/10

Salis Abdul Samed (In, RC Lens)

An ambitious and positive signing and addressed the obvious lack of a genuine holding midfielder in the squad. So far hasn’t been able to get fully fit on the pitch, which is a source of frustration. Could still be a big play and there’s a precedent for that, with Edouard Michut featuring little in the first half of the campaign before being a key figure in the run to a play-off spot in 2023. 

Rating: 5/10 (this should change quickly if and when he gets fit)

Pierre Ekwah (St Etienne, loan)

Feels like a decent deal. Ekwah faced a battle to get into the starting XI so to secure a seven-figure loan fee and a move to a top tier where his reputation will grow quickly if he impresses is a solid outcome for all parties. Would bank a significant profit if the option-to-buy is triggered but Sunderland have made clear that the door isn’t closed for a return either. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Timothee Pembele (Le Havre, loan)

After a difficult pre season a Ligue 1 move will be a good one if he can force his way into the team. At this point it looks like a poor call to sign him last summer as he’s not really been able to put any pressure on Trai Hume’s place.

Rating: 6/10

Nectar Triantis (Hibernian, loan)

Triantis is playing regularly and further developing in a defensive midfield role that might offer a more realistic route into the Sunderland side in the long run. Solid decision for him to return to a familiar environment. 

Rating: 6/10

Luis Hemir (Juve Next Gen, loan)

After a very difficult season last time out, getting Hemir a move where he’ll play regularly and could rebuild confidence is a definite step forward. If Juve trigger their option to buy then it will be a very satisfactory conclusion to a move that hasn’t paid off for Sunderland.

Rating: 6/10

The verdict

While the core of the side Le Bris has leaned on so far this season were here before the summer window, we have seen a much better balance to Sunderland’s approach with Alan Browne and Chris Mepham firmly establishing themselves as first-team contenders from day one. Fit and firing in the U21s, Aaron Connolly could shortly join that category. While Sunderland have continued to invest in young talent who could thrive down the line, there has been a welcome flexibility to ensure the side is also strengthened in the short term. 

Where there is still some doubt is over the depth of Le Bris’s squad - that a number of summer signings have not yet reached full fitness has left the head coach with limited options on the bench in most games so far. If Sunderland are to reach the top six this season, that needs to change. 

Undoubtedly, though, the summer window looks to have left the squad in a decent place and given that the club will have ended it firmly in profit following Clarke’s departure that’s an impressive achievement.