Sunderland have made a perfect start to the new Championship season under Regis Le Bris.
A few months ago, Sunderland were a club in turmoil.
The Black Cats hadn’t had a permanent manager in place for four months and were being rejected by their preferred candidates Will Still and then Liam Rosenior.
The Sunderland owners and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman were coming under scathing criticism and pressure on social media for what was becoming a farcical appointment. But the process has so far pid dividends.
Sunderland appointed Regis Le Bris in June. The Frenchman arrived as an unknown quantity, but after two games in the 2024/25 Championship season, we’ve learned a lot about him, and a lot about this new-look Sunderland team.
Le Bris favours the high press, yet he’s kept Sunderland formidable at the back too, as seen in their complete and emphatic 4-0 win vs Sheffield Wednesday last time out.
Le Bris and the players are earning praise. But praise must also go to Speakman, as evident in the cost of Sunderland’s XI that day.
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Total cost of the Sunderland XI that beat Sheffield Wednesday 4-0
Speakman has had, and still has his critics. But on the whole, during his near-four-year tenure at the Stadium of Light, he’s done a lot of good work.
He’s making a good habit of signing younger players and watching them flourish and become valuable assets.
Although there’s been a few mishaps on that front, especially in the last year, Speakman has given Sunderland a number of quality individuals who could eventually net the club a huge profit.
And the price of the starting XI vs Wednesday proves Speakman’s eye for a bargain in the transfer market, with the XI costing Sunderland around £5.6million (at least) to put together.
Jobe Bellingham is the most expensive one having cost Sunderland £3million from Birmingham City last summer.
There’s a bit of debate around the others’ price tags; numerous reports have suggested that Sunderland paid as little as, or even less than £1million for Jack Clarke, with Trai Hume costing just £200k.
Per Transfermarkt, Eliezer Mayenda cost £800k and Aji Alese £590k, whilst there seems to be a complete grey area over Dennis Cirkin‘s cost, though it’s likely that it cost less than £1million, if not well under £1million.
Luke O’Nien was signed from Wycombe Wanderers for an undisclosed fee in 2018, and so his transfer fee hasn’t been included either.
The likes of Anthony Patterson, Chris Rigg, and Dan Neil came through the Sunderland academy, whilst Patrick Roberts was signed a free agent.
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How much is the Sunderland XI vs Sheffield Wednesday worth now
Sunderland have some very valuable assets in their side right now; the likes of Clarke, Bellingham, Patterson, and even Neil and Hume could be deemed £20million players, or thereabouts.
Then there’s Rigg who could go on to become a £20million name or much more in the future.
Speakman then is certainly doing something right at Sunderland, and although there’s been hiccups along the way, with more bound to come, he’s playing a huge role in the Black Cats’ upwards trajectory right now.
Sunderland are next in action at home vs Burnley in the Championship on Saturday.