Ex-Sunderland AFC owner reveals Kyril Louis-Dreyfus stadium hint | OneFootball

Sunderland are looking ahead to a brighter future with the Black Cats retaining their play-off status.

Tony Mowbray's side look to have left their League One days in the distant past with a dark period in the club's history eclipsed by a positive chapter, with one eye on the Premier League.

Sunderland, despite suffering a 4-0 defeat to Middlesbrough last time out, remain in the top six with convincing victories against Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford reinforcing the notion that last season was not a fluke.

While on-the-pitch matters are going according to plan, the new Sunderland regime are eager to transform the club in all aspects, according to former chairman Sir Bob Murray, keeping in the line with the trajectory mapped out with the club destined for a return to the top-flight for the first time since 2017.

What has the former Sunderland chairman said about Kyril Louis-Dreyfus?

Murray took control of Sunderland from 1986, lasting two decades in the hot seat before the Drumaville Consortium, led by former player Niall Quinn, took over at the Stadium of Light in 2006.

The businessman has since spoken highly about current majority shareholder Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and the plans he has in place for the Black Cats going forward, particularly regarding improvements to the Stadium of Light, after the new owner reached out to Murray.

According to James Copley of the Sunderland Echo, he said: "I think he (Louis-Dreyfus) is looking at the stadium, he is looking at stadium park, and he is looking for other facilities.

"They have got a blueprint. They have been nice enough to share it with me, and I'm massively supportive of it."

Murray has also been supportive of Louis-Dreyfus' approach to the footballing institution and believes he is the right man to take the club forward.

"He has proved to be. I will do anything for him.

"I am very appreciative of him taking the club on because I couldn't find a Sunderland person to take the club on when I left. I couldn't find a rich guy who had left the area. There was nobody there, so it is quite obvious that we are going to have an outsider, but he comes from a football family and he has a plan.

"He is investing across the club, and he won't let any player go for nothing like before."

Further details on Sir Bob Murray's new book 'I'd Do It All Again' can be found here, with proceeds going to Sunderland AFC's official charity, Foundation of Light, and their 'Heart on Your Sleeve campaign'.

How are Sunderland doing under Louis-Dreyfus' guidance?

The French businessman became the majority shareholder in June 2022, acquiring shares from Charlie Methven and Stewart Donald while Juan Satori's stake in the club has risen to 30%.

With the club now looking to focus matters back onto the pitch, the vision is clear with Tony Mowbray's side determined to build on last season's play-off finish - a remarkable feat considering they were only promoted from the third tier the year prior.

Recruitment, meanwhile, has become less flippant and gung-ho, instead more methodical with a clear philosophy in place while developing young players from both domestic and foreign markets.

While top-flight success is not a guarantee and won't happen overnight, it is clear the foundations are in place for long-term success on Wearside.

For the Sunderland faithful, it is a welcomed chapter considering the past five years or so and will be urging their team on to make the Premier League dream a reality.