Assessing eight managers who Sunderland has been linked with recently and what the latest news is regarding their potential appointment.
So far, this summer has not been ideal at the Stadium of Light. Despite sacking Michael Beale in February, the club is still without a permanent manager.
While many have been linked to the role over recent months, nothing has ever materialised which has greatly frustrated supporters.
As it stands, the club is in limbo with the managerial search showing no signs of coming to an immediate end.
Therefore, this article examines eight managers Sunderland have recently been linked with, and what the latest rumours are regarding their potential appointment.
Frank Lampard
One of the stronger current links to the Sunderland job is Frank Lampard. The former Derby County and Everton manager has been out of work since the end of the 2022/23 season after a spell at Chelsea as the interim boss.
There have been strong links suggesting that he may be willing to drop down a division in order to get another job. This resulted in Lampard being linked with Sunderland.
However, recent reports have suggested that Lampard is ‘not under consideration’ to be the new Black Cats boss.
Robbie Keane
Another new manager on the scene is Robbie Keane. The former Spurs man and Republic of Ireland legend took his first step into management in 2018, taking charge of Indian side ATK where he lasted until the end of the season.
The former striker then had spells at the Republic of Ireland, Middlesbrough and Leeds United as part of their coaching staff before joining Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv as manager in 2023.
After winning the league in his debut season, he left the club in May and has now been linked with a shock move to the Black Cats.
It is believed that Keane is ‘eager to join’ Sunderland if given the opportunity. However, there is not believed to be any contact between the two parties.
Rene Maric
One man who has long been linked with Sunderland is Rene Maric. The Bayern Munich Under 19s coach was first linked with the Black Cats back in April. However, it was believed that Maric was all but out of the running to be the Sunderland manager in early May.
More recently, it has been reported that there could still be a chance of an appointment. It is believed that Maric could still be ‘tempted’ by the Sunderland job with his contract up in July.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Rene Maric, Sunderland’s potential new manager.
Liam Rosenior
A popular name that has been linked to Sunderland is Liam Rosenior. The former Hull City boss was surprisingly sacked despite being nominated for the Championship Manager of the Season.
As a result, multiple clubs are believed to be interested in appointing the young Englishman. However, Sunderland are unlikely to appoint Rosenior after he fell out of contention.
Dave Challinor
One outside shout for the Sunderland job is Dave Challinor. The manager currently resides at Stockport County and has overseen their rise from the National League to League One.
In June, it was reported that Challinor had been added to Sunderland’s list of candidates. However, little has been reported on the manager over the past week.
Paul Heckingbottom
Paul Heckingbottom was one of the most exciting managers linked to Sunderland since Beale’s sacking. With dreams of Premier League football once more, Heckingbottom recently achieved promotion with Sheffield United in the 2022/23 campaign.
However, it is highly unlikely that any appointment will happen at Sunderland. It is believed Heckingbottom rejected the Sunderland job because he didn’t like the staffing arrangements, all but ruling him out.
Marti Cifuentes
One manager still in a job, Marti Cifuentes took over fellow Championship side QPR in October 2023 as they struggled against relegation. However, despite only being at the capital side for a short amount of time, the Spaniard impressed and secured survival with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Leeds.
As the search continues for a new Sunderland manager, Marti Cifuentes has now been linked with the role. However, talk has gone quiet since it was revealed that a six-figure compensation fee would be required.
Read more: Who is Marti Cifuentes? Everything you need to know about the manager of Sunderland’s shortlist.
Raphael Wicky
The final man on this list is Raphael Wicky. The former Swiss international was recently managing Young Boys but was sacked in March.
It was revealed that Wicky would be interested in taking the Sunderland job. However, any claims that an appointment could be close were shot down by Fabrizio Romano. He claimed that Sunderland would not appoint Wicky and nothing has materialised since.