A former Sunderland player has made the switch to a Championship rival ahead of the new campaign.
Sunderland are gearing up for the 2024/25 Championship season under new head coach Regis Le Bris.
And for many, what to expect from Sunderland and indeed from Le Bris remains a mystery.
It’s his first job in England and only the second managerial job of his career so far. He was well sought-after by the Sunderland owners though, and there’s a definite sense of optimism that Le Bris at least improve on last season’s disappointing 16th place finish.
To do that, Kristjaan Speakman needs to sign a striker or two, with Sunderland interested in Alexandre Mendy right now, and interest in an unnamed former Championship striker as well.
We could see anther sizeable turnover in first-team players at the Stadium of Light this summer.
Sunderland have let go of some well-liked players in the past few seasons, as well as signing some who are yet to show all that much promise.
One player who was loved by fans and perhaps wrongly let go was Danny Batth.
Former Sunderland man Danny Batth seals Championship move
Batth, now 33, joined Sunderland in January 2022 on a free transfer from Stoke City, and would go on to play 55 times for the Black Cats, scoring once.
The centre-back helped Sunderland earn promotion from League One but was sold to Norwich City last summer, despite winning the club’s Player of the Season award for 2022/23.
His exit stirred debate among fans, with Batth’s sale highlighting a clear over-emphasis on youth, which was exposed last season.
Now though, former Wolves and Middlesbrough man Batth has signed for Sunderland’s Championship rival Blackburn Rovers on a one-year deal.
Kristjaan Speakman must avoid more Batth-like Sunderland errors
Selling Batth proved to be a mistake for Sunderland and Speakman.
Sunderland paid for a distinct lack of Championship experience last season, which is something Batth has in abundance with 316 second tier appearances to his name.
And the Black Cats could soon face similar problems with names like Patrick Roberts and Luke O’Nien to name a couple, but Speakman must think carefully about offloading certain players, either to take strain off the wage bill or simply lower the average age.
Batth though has a good chance to get back playing after a tough season with Norwich where he made just 18 appearances in all competitions.