Will Sunderland sell?

The Sunderland Echo’s Phil Smith says the Black Cats don’t need to sell players this summer, as Regis le Bris’ side prepare to fight on four fronts next season in the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

With the club’s hierarchy insisting there is no onus on them to sell players during the summer transfer window, Smith told BBC Radio Newcastle: “Sunderland’s performance revenue-wise is probably better than anyone would’ve expected it to be at this stage.

“If you had asked me in March about the club needing to sell players, it is something I definitely would’ve anticipated but now I only see it as a possibility.

“Nobody wants to say there won’t be a big player sale this summer because there is a realisation that, speaking hypothetically, if Chelsea come in with a £70m bid for Noah Sadiki then that is a success for Sunderland.

“Money like that would give the club so much leeway for future years to go out and invest in the squad, but it is also fairly clear that they don’t particularly want to or need to sell at this stage in their development.

“We can be fairly sure it won’t be a case of Brian Brobbey, Noah Sadiki and Robin Roefs all suddenly going out the door, leaving Sunderland with half a team to replace.

“The messaging has been really clear, both publicly and privately, that the team which starts at Portman Road in the opening game of next season is going to look pretty familiar to the one that ended last season.

“If we look at the club’s history in this area, there has never been more than one big player sale [at a time] and, if anything, their Premier League status just strengthens that position.

“So it is something I’m quite relaxed about. I really do expect that when we kick off against Ipswich Town, eight or nine of the players in the starting XI will be ones we are familiar with and have a relationship with already.”

Listen to the full conversation above or listen on BBC Sounds