Sunderland get underway in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.
Sunderland begin their 2024/25 season with a trip to Cardiff City in the Championship.
It’ll mark the beginning of a new and exciting, yet still quite unnerving chapter for the club under new boss Regis Le Bris.
Whilst there’s a sense that Le Bris is a good coach and possibly a good fit for Sunderland, the club hasn’t enjoyed the most promising summer transfer window.
The Black Cats have signed four new players so far this summer. Sunderland signing Alan Browne looks like an exciting capture, and so too does the arrival of Ian Poveda who’s currently injured.
More look set to arrive at he Stadium of Light before the August 30th deadline.
Sunderland though have been linked with several players this summer and have seemingly passed the opportunity to sign most of them, including last season’s loan man Callum Styles.
Hungarian international Styles joined Sunderland on loan from Barnsley in January and Sunderland eventually passed the opportunity to sign him on a permanent deal.
Former Sunderland loan man Callum Styles left out of Barnsley opener
Styles’ Barnsley kicked off their League One campaign on Friday night with a home game vs Mansfield Town.
The Tykes lost 2-1 at Oakwell. Styles though didn’t feature in the game, despite training with Barnsley during this pre-season.
Barnsley manager Darrell Clarke revealed after the game that Styles wasn’t in the ‘right frame of mind’ to play, due to transfer interest this summer.
He told Barnsley Chronicle’s Doug O’Kane: “Callum is having a lot of interest and a few of clubs are coming in for him.
“He didn’t feel in the right frame of mind, I would rather play players whose mindset is right. He hasn’t been a problem for me.”
Did Sunderland dodge a bullet by not signing Callum Styles
24-year-old Styles was very hit and miss with Sunderland after featuring 12 times in the Championship and grabbing one assist.
He started poorly but showed a bit more promise towards the end of his stint on Wearside, albeit not enough to convince the club to sign him permanently.
Now seeing how he’s failing to feature for Barnsley due to transfer interest, it may suggest that Styles doesn’t have the right temperament.
He certainly brings Championship experience and versatility to a side. But Sunderland and indeed most teams need players of the right mindset, which Styles doesn’t seem to be right now.