Two Sunderland players have been tipped to leave the club this summer.
Sunderland lost 2-1 vs Bradford City in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday night, leaving the Black Cats with three wins, two defeats, and one draw from their six pre-season games so far.
Regis Le Bris watched on as his side put in a rather drab performance, with Romaine Mundle the standout v Bradford City.
With just one friendly left to play before the start of the 2024/25 Championship season, a game against Marseille at Valley Parade where Sunderland played on Tuesday evening, player arrivals and exits may start to ramp up.
Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman is eager to sign a striker or two this summer with Sunderland interested in Alexandre Mendy from Caen.
In terms of potential outgoings, the Black Cats have a number of key players attracting Premier League and European interest this summer.
Before we see any big money departures tough, there might be some loan exits at the Stadium of Light.
Phil Smiths tips Jewison Bennette and Jay Matete to leave on loan
Two Sunderland players in Jewison Bennette and Jay Matete weren’t included in the friendly squad to face Bradford City.
The pair have featured sporadically in pre-season but both were in Spain with the first-team squad.
After both were left out of the team to face Bradford, journalist Phil Smith has now tipped them to leave on loan, along with impressive youngster Joe Anderson who featured at left-back vs Bradford.
Smith wrote for Sunderland Echo: “Jay Matete and Jewison Bennette were not involved here and will now surely move on, but you could also more than likely add Joe Anderson to the group after he was deployed out of position here.”
Kristjaan Speakman needs to make ‘last chance saloon’ call at Sunderland
Both Bennette and Matete have had chances with Sunderland; albeit Matete not having as many as Bennette, and albeit with both players having had injuries.
Another loan move though must prove to be the last chance for both of these players to impress the Sunderland officials, before the board starts to consider permanent exits.
With so many young players arriving each year, Sunderland must be ruthless with them; give them their chances and move them on if they fail to impress.
With Anderson, he’s perhaps in the position that Matete and Bennette were in a couple of years ago in that he’s a player with potential and time to impress Speakman and co.
But for Bennette and Matete, if they can’t impress on loan this season and then work their way into the Sunderland first-team next summer, then there’s very little point in the club and the players continuing their relationship together.