How Sunderland's loan stars are performing away from Stadium of Light - including VfL Wolfsburg ace
The latest Sunderland AFC news, via Lucy Scothern.
The summer that followed Sunderland’s play-off final win at Wembley saw a record breaking spending fee for a newly promoted club of £161.7 million and a plethora of new talent introduced to the side.
As a consequence, a number of players who were instrumental in Sunderland’s rise to the top were placed out on loan by the time the sun had set on summer transfer deadline day. Four months on and with just over two weeks until the January deadline, we are analysing the loanees’ time away from Wearside and who could be calling their new surroundings home in due time.
Jenson Seelt
Jenson Seelt’s loan spell in the Bundesliga is shaping up to be a productive one, with the Dutch centre-back steadily establishing himself at VfL Wolfsburg. The 22-year-old, who joined the German side on loan from Sunderland on 1 September 2025, has made nine appearances in 15 possible league fixtures, racking up 680 minutes after overcoming an early injury setback.
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Seelt has impressed management with his defensive abilities winning 75 tackles and 27 aerial duels, while maintaining discipline with no yellow cards to his name. Seelt made 21 appearances for the Black Cats, including coming on as a second half substitute in the first two Premier League fixtures against West Ham and Burnley.
However, he has historically been injury prone during his time on Wearside, missing 33 games due to knee surgery in 2024. Whilst Kristjaan Speakman’s initial intentions for the loan were more focused on Seelt’s development, Wolfsburg are reportedly keen to secure his services on a permanent basis. A move that would cut Seelt’s initial summer 2028 Sunderland contract short if he was to make the move for good in 2026.
Patrick Roberts
Another summer transfer deadline loanee, Patrick Roberts’ is currently at Birmingham City, where his previous Championship experience is showing positively in his football. The 28-year-old right-winger who joined the Blues for the 2025-26 season, has featured in 21 of a possible 22 league games, clocking up 1,440 minutes, contributing two goals and four assists. Roberts signed for SAFC in the January transfer window of 2022, making 147 appearances in his club career.
He played a pivotal role in both the League One play-off finals of 2022 and the EFL Championship play-off final of 2025, helping drive the club’s climb up the English footballing pyramid in recent years. Blues head coach Chris Davies has praised Roberts publicly, stating that “there’s not many with more quality than him in the Championship,” and has hinted at turning the loan spell into a permanent move, with strong rumours suggesting Sunderland and Birmingham are now in discussions over a deal during the current January transfer window.
Alan Browne
Another Sunderland loanee making a strong impression in the Championship is Alan Browne, who is currently spending the 2025–26 season with Middlesbrough. The 30-year-old Irish midfielder who joined Boro has featured in 20 of a possible 22 league matches, scoring once and playing 1,102 minutes so far. Browne, who signed for Sunderland on a free transfer in July 2024 after a decade at Preston North End, was a part of the Black Cats’ promotion-winning squad last season, making 23 appearances.
His versatility has stood out on Teesside, most notably earning praise from Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg after an “unbelievable” performance out of position at right-back. Browne has previously voiced his disappointment after being left out of SAFC’s Premier League plans, saying “hopefully I'll get another chance next season.” Browne’s contract with Sunderland runs until June 2027, meaning talks for a permanent home on Wearside or elsewhere are likely to wait until the next calendar year.
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