The 3 Sunderland AFC players who could attract serious transfer interest this summer | OneFootball

Sunderland AFC are heading into what looks like a busy summer transfer window.

The Black Cats will want to forget this Championship campaign as quickly as possible, given how it went for them.

It was a season of ups and downs for the club, but mainly downs, as managerial turmoil was impacting a campaign from early on, and they could never make a real go at a top-six finish, despite being in the mix midway through the season.

Form in the second half of the season really tailed off, and that saw Sunderland slide down the table, finishing a disappointing 16th, just six points above the drop zone.

But it is now a new start, as the club is searching for a new manager, and with that, it is likely the club will be making changes to the playing squad.

The Sunderland board will hope the summer is more about which players arrive at the club than the ones who could leave.

But, given the disappointment of the season and the fact that they are still in the second tier, the Black Cats could potentially see some significant interest in certain members of their squad.

With that said, here we have looked at three Sunderland players who could attract serious transfer interest this summer…

Pierre Ekwah

Pierre Ekwah has just finished his first full season at Sunderland Football Club, as he only joined the Black Cats in January last year.

The 22-year-old was snapped up by the Wearsiders from West Ham United and it has been a move that has really worked out for the player.

Last season, Ekwah played 14 times as Sunderland reached the Championship play-offs, but in the 2023/24 season, the midfielder took his game to the next level.

The defensive midfielder was a regular in the side this season despite the change of managers, playing 40 times in the Championship. In those appearances, Ekwah scored five goals and chipped in with two assists, showing his ability at the other end of the pitch as well.

It was reported ahead of the January transfer window, that Premier League teams such as Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Fulham were all interested in Ekwah.

It has since been claimed that Ipswich Town are also interested in the midfielder, so it seems Ekwah is someone who has caught the eye of several sides heading into this summer.

The 22-year-old signed a four-and-a-half-year deal when he joined the club, so Ekwah still has a few years left to run on that contract. Therefore, Sunderland shouldn’t be in a rush to sell the player this summer, as he is an exciting prospect, and they need to keep hold of players like that if they are to be successful.

Jobe Bellingham

As well as Pierre Ekwah potentially being eyed this summer, Sunderland could also have another midfielder being touted with a move and that is in the form of Jobe Bellingham.

The Black Cats signed Bellingham from Birmingham City last summer, and it was an impressive first campaign for the midfielder on Wearside.

The 18-year-old scored seven goals and chipped in with one assist as he became a prominent figure in this Sunderland team, despite his young age.

Obviously, given Jobe has connections with Jude Bellingham, there is bound to be a lot of interest in the 18-year-old, as many sides will want to sign the younger brother, as they’ll believe he could turn out to be like Jude.

So, despite Bellingham only being at the Stadium of Light for a season, he could be a name of many teams' lips this summer, as they try and take him away from Sunderland.

It has already been reported by Football Insider, that Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund are interested in signing Bellingham this summer.

Bellingham signed a contract until the summer of 2027 when he arrived last summer, so the club do have time on their hands in that sense. Sunderland will not want to see the midfielder leave after just 12 months at the club, but given the surrounding hype, if a big offer were to arrive this summer, the club may have no choice but to sell him. Other than that, they should do all they can to keep hold of him for another season at least.

Jack Clarke

Out of all the Sunderland players, it will probably not be a surprise to their supporters to see Jack Clarke on this list.

The winger has been touted with an exit from the Stadium of Light for a while now, but it seems this summer could be the time he does finally leave.

The Daily Mirror has reported that Premier League duo West Ham United and AFC Bournemouth are leading the race to sign Clarke this summer and it seems the Premier League will be a likely destination.

The winger has significant interest in him because he has yet again had another excellent season, scoring 15 goals and recording four assists in 40 league games.

These numbers come after he scored nine goals and chipped in with 12 assists in 45 league games last season, as Sunderland reached the play-offs.

The 23-year-old is contracted to the club until the summer of 2026, but given the speculation and what he has done for the club, this summer may be the right time for them to let Clarke leave.

Obviously, Sunderland will want to get the right offer and would ideally like to keep him, but it seems a fair time for them to let the winger go and play elsewhere, as they can’t offer him the things these other teams can.