adminSunderland need to make significant progress in the transfer market if they are to come anywhere close to matching the achievements of their impressive 2025/26 campaign.
After Regis Le Bris guided the Black Cats back to the Premier League, few expected them to make such an impact. Instead of simply surviving, Sunderland exceeded expectations, finishing seventh and earning a place in the Europa League.
However, this summer has been far less productive in terms of recruitment. Sunderland have kept most of their first-team squad together, which is a major positive, but their only notable addition so far has been experienced full-back Thomas Meunier on a free transfer.
Retaining key players has nevertheless been one of the club’s biggest successes. Sunderland resisted Chelsea’s interest in captain Granit Xhaka and have also managed to keep striker Brian Brobbey despite interest from several major European clubs.
Why Sunderland Must Keep Brobbey
Whatever happens during the final weeks of the transfer window, Sunderland should make every effort to keep Brobbey. Bayern Munich and Juventus have both reportedly shown interest in the Dutch striker, but losing him would leave a significant hole in Le Bris’ attack.
Journalist Antonio Mango previously described Brobbey as looking “like a freight-train when dribbling”, highlighting the striker’s remarkable combination of power, pace and physicality.
The 23-year-old scored seven Premier League goals last season, but his influence extended beyond his goal tally. His strength, aggressive running and ability to battle defenders made him an important part of Sunderland’s successful return to the top flight.
Brobbey will need to improve his finishing this season, particularly if Sunderland want to compete on multiple fronts. The Black Cats were among the most hardworking and disciplined sides in the Premier League last campaign, but their attacking creativity and efficiency often left room for improvement.
The Dutchman has already shown that he can be more prolific, but he needs better service around him. That is something Le Bris will be desperate to address before the new campaign gets fully underway.
Sunderland Eye Ideal Partner for Brobbey
Sunderland are believed to be searching for another attacking player, particularly someone capable of operating from the right side.
According to TEAMtalk, the Black Cats are among the clubs to have made enquiries about Marseille winger Timothy Weah. The American spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Marseille before the French club completed an obligation to buy him from Juventus.
Sunderland have reportedly not yet opened formal negotiations, instead gathering information before deciding whether to make a serious move. Foot Mercato have claimed Marseille could consider selling Weah for approximately €20 million (£17m).
Weah would offer Sunderland considerable versatility. Although capable of playing through the middle, he has spent much of his career operating as a wide attacker, particularly on the right.
During his time in Ligue 1 last season, he created seven big chances and won 51% of his duels, demonstrating the work rate and creativity Sunderland could benefit from.
That creativity could be particularly valuable for Le Bris’ side, who struggled to consistently create clear opportunities last season. Their expected-goals figure was better than only the three teams eventually relegated from the Premier League.
A partnership between Weah and Brobbey could therefore give Sunderland an entirely different attacking dimension.
Chemsdine Talbi, who featured mainly on the right last season, showed flashes of promise, but his failure to create a single big chance underlined Sunderland’s wider problems in the final third.
Weah, meanwhile, brings considerable experience. He has represented several major clubs and, despite an inconsistent career, showed plenty of quality during his spell with Marseille, particularly through his pace, energy and creativity.
Neymar Jr. once suggested that Weah “has everything” required to become one of Europe’s best attacking players. That prediction has yet to fully materialise, but Sunderland could provide the environment for him to take another major step forward.
If the Black Cats can keep Brobbey and add a player of Weah’s profile, they could enter the new campaign with a much more dangerous attack and give themselves a stronger chance of building on last season’s remarkable success.
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