The 6 Sunderland AFC players who realistically could be sold for a fee this summer | OneFootball

Play-off semi-finalists last season and top six contenders once again this term, it's fair to say that Sunderland have taken life back in the Championship in their stride.

The days of Tony Mowbray have dissipated, Amad Diallo might not don the famous red and white anymore (at least for the moment), and the Michael Beale reign was an utter disaster, but with their glut of young stars, future times on Wearside could not be brighter.

But with their newfound talent comes a potential need to cash in on other players to continue the club's upward trajectory, and with that, there are plentiful suitors for some of the Black Cats' most prominent - and fringe - figures.

Here, we examine which of the current Sunderland squad could well be moving onto pastures new come the summer.

It is important to stress that those whose contracts expire at the end of the campaign are not included in this list.

6 Jobe Bellingham

You expected it, though, didn't you?

The 18-year-old has followed in his brother Jude's footsteps in becoming one of the hottest prospects in the EFL following his cut-price move from Birmingham City last summer.

Sunderland paid just £3 million to the Blues for the teenager's services, and he has become a crucial part of the furniture on Wearside, thrown straight into the first-team set-up where he has shone.

Bellingham has played in 36 of his side's 37 Championship games, scoring six goals, adding one assist, but offering some of the most complete box-to-box midfield work you could imagine.

The starlet has been touted with a move to follow Jude to Real Madrid, while another report claims that Sunderland's bitter rivals Newcastle United are weighing up a raid for the midfielder.

It would be a real shame to see Bellingham depart, especially with the guaranteed first-team football that Mike Dodds' side could offer him, but when the big clubs come calling - as they always do - then it's exceptionally difficult to turn down.

5 Jack Clarke

Perhaps the most likely to depart, the flying winger has become a cult hero on Wearside since his initial arrival on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

The Black Cats were able to keep the 23-year-old on a permanent basis last summer, and the decision to do so has paid serious dividends, with Clarke notching 15 goals and supplying four assists in 33 games.

, whilst West Ham, Crystal Palace and Southampton are among the clubs that are also monitoring the wide man's progress at the Stadium of Light.

4 Aji Alese

Signed from West Ham in the summer of 2022, Alese was supposed to be a signing that Sunderland could nurture and sell on for easy profit.

However, the centre-back has played just 22 Championship games since his arrival, and with one year left on his contract, he could well seek more regular first-team opportunities elsewhere to ensure that his career does not stagnate.

Injuries haven't helped the left-sided defender, and perhaps a move to a lower-echelon second tier side would do him good, or even a club jostling at the top of League One.

3 Pierre Ekwah

Another former West Ham youngster, Ekwah has been far more successful than Alese in a Sunderland shirt.

A tall, imperious midfielder, the Frenchman could well be on the radar of some top-tier teams, with Crystal Palace and Fulham rumoured to have shown previous interest.

The 22-year-old would be another sore loss to the Black Cats, but were an irrefutable transfer fee to arrive, then Ekwah will surely want to test himself at the highest level.

Another with just a year left on his contract at the end of the season, Embleton was recalled from his loan spell at Derby County in January after injury again blighted the first half of the campaign.

The attacking midfielder, who has made 92 appearances for Sunderland, only played 52 minutes for Derby in League One after being sidelined for the entire campaign through a torn thigh muscle.

Embleton then tore his ankle ligaments to rub further salt in his wounds, and his injury record might be something that Sunderland would rather do without.

On his day, as he has demonstrated at the Stadium of Light, he can be quite the thorn in the side of opposing defences, but his future most definitely lies away from Wearside.

Neil is personally in a strong position about his next move.

He has two years left on his Sunderland contract, and big clubs are swooning over the 22-year-old.

Of course, the Black Cats would love him to sign an extension, but when the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur take notice, it's hard not to have your head turned.