Sunderland have been sensational in the transfer market in recent years and have brought heaps of young talent on board.
The Black Cats already have five senior internationals among their ranks, alongside even more youth stars that have featured for their country.
There will be a number of Sunderland players vying for a place in their national team ahead of the Euro 2024, but the Black Cats’ youthful squad could see even more youngsters feature on home soil in Euro 2028.
The tournament in five years time will take place across the UK and Northern Ireland, with Sunderland’s stars likely to return to the North East if they compete at St James’ Park in Newcastle.
With Tony Mowbray’s current crop all holding very high potential, here are eight Sunderland players that we could see feature at Euro 2028…
Anthony Patterson
Anthony Patterson’s brilliant performances for Sunderland earned him his first call-up to the England U21 squad in the summer, making his debut in a 2-0 defeat to Japan.
The goalkeeper only turned 23 this year and will be eager to follow in Jordan Pickford’s footsteps, while he could definitely catch the eye if the Black Cats are eventually promoted.
It would be a surprise if Aaron Ramsdale doesn’t have the No.1 spot wrapped up by then, however the likes of Dean Henderson, James Trafford and Patterson could all compete for a place in the squad.
Dennis Cirkin
Another player with a very high ceiling is Dennis Cirkin.
The defender earned two caps with the England U20 side in 2021, however he hasn’t featured among the youth ranks since.
At only 21 years old, Cirkin has plenty of time to improve and is likely to be a key player for Sunderland in the future.
England have struggled for choice in the left-back area in recent years, with Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell their only real options. A place in the squad for Cirkin could rely on him playing in the top flight.
Niall Huggins
Niall Huggins is clearly a very good defender and his confidence in recent games has become very clear, though his future probably depends on his fitness.
If he can avoid anymore major injuries, Huggins’ name could surely be thrown into the hat for the Wales senior team.
The left-back has four appearances for the U21 team to his name, but the lack of talent in that position for Wales could give him a chance at earning his spot in the senior team.
Jobe Bellingham
Jobe is probably a very ambitious shout given his age, but it is really hard to predict just how far the midfielder can go.
The teenager already looks far ahead of his age and probably has one of the highest ceilings at the club. His brother’s success could also help him eventually earn a place in the national team.
If Jobe continues developing at the rapid rate that he already has been since arriving on Wearside, I wouldn’t put it past him to make his senior debut for England in the next four or five years.
Jack Clarke
Given that Jack Clarke could be playing in the Premier League next season, whether it be with Sunderland or not, it would be a surprise if he wasn’t considered for an England call-up.
The forward has been exceptional this season and has already been linked with Burnley and Brentford, where he would likely be very impressive there too.
If Clarke can make an impact in the top flight then I see no reason why he couldn’t force his way into the international set-up. Whether he makes it just as another benchwarmer is another question.
Dan Neil
I would be surprised to see Dan Neil actually leave Sunderland anytime soon, but promotion to the Premier League would surely see him considered for an England call-up.
The midfielder has easily been one of the Black Cats’ best players this season and he would easily do a good job for us if we were playing in the top flight in the next few years.
Neil has earned three caps for the U20 team already and could be well on his way to making his mark with the seniors.
Jewison Bennette
If Costa Rica can qualify for the tournament then Jewison Bennette is pretty much guaranteed to be there.
The winger already has 12 caps for the international team and doesn’t look like he will be dropped anytime soon given the country’s lack of players outside of South America. Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forest) and Bennette are the only current senior players to play in England, with a majority featuring in their native country.
Bennette will be hoping to be a regular in the Costa Rica team by then, having made three appearances at the World Cup.
Nazariy Rusyn
Similar to Bennette, it would be surprising to see Nazariy Rusyn not in the Ukraine squad if they manage to qualify for the Euros.
The 24-year-old only just received his first senior call-up, but his goalscoring prowess for the U21s make his chances very promising.
If Rusyn can get scoring for Sunderland over the next few years then he could definitely become a regular for Ukraine.