The future of Sunderland’s big names has been predicted on Football Manager.
Sunderland are gearing up for the upcoming January transfer window, where they will be anticipating a wave of activity in regards to top sides lurking for their talent.
The Black Cats have endured a brilliant start to the 2024/25 Championship campaign, but that won’t go without its drawbacks of their key men being shone under the spotlight with the winter window just around the corner.
The likes of Jobe Bellingham, who bagged the decisive goal to send the Black Cats away from South Wales with all three points against Swansea City at the weekend, will be hotly pursuit by top sides, with the likes of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund keeping tabs on the 19-year-old, whilst Chris Rigg has also drummed up interest.
With the uncertainty of the January window and the futures of Sunderland’s top stars, we decided to simulate the next five years for the Black Cats, which brought out some eye-catching conclusions for the key players on Wearside.
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Sunderland duo predicted for long-term stay at the club
When simulating the next five years for the Black Cats, a side that found themselves still in the Championship, this time under the management of former Blackburn boss John Eustace, Sunderland surprisingly had the likes of Rigg and Dan Neil at the club.
Anthony Patterson also found himself on the books at Sunderland for the long-term before a £2.5million move to predicted League One outfit Watford in the 2027/28 season.
Surprise name earns Tottenham Hotspur move in upcoming January window
One player whose future isn’t quite as uncertain as the likes of Bellingham and Rigg is Black Cats full-back Dennis Cirkin, however, Football Manager predicts that the defender will earn a top move to Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £6million.
It was a career that didn’t quite ignite in the Premier League as he was sent on loan up north to Celtic before making a permanent move to Italian giants Roma.
Five years later, the Northern Irish international found himself plying his trade with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.
Jobe Bellingham rakes in massive £25.5million fee
One sale from Sunderland that seems inevitable in the somewhat near future is Bellingham moving to a Premier League or Champions League side, however, on Football Manager this didn’t take place until the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
It seems that Football Manager predicted that Bellingham wouldn’t quite hit the staggering levels that he is capable of, earning a move to predicted Premier League mid table side Southampton for a £25.5million fee.
In terms of the future of ‘fantastic’ ace Bellingham, as well as the likes of Rigg and Patterson, Sunderland fans would be delighted if they all stayed at the club, at least for the duration of the 2024/25 Championship campaign in order to give the promotion push all they have under Regis Le Bris.