Transfer Rumours Summer Transfer window

https://metro.co.uk/2025/07/21/plan...got-a-heck-a-lot-less-ambitious-23711715/amp/

Not directly football related, but there seems to be problems with the fake city of NEOM. That might change a few prospective transfers.

 

The Athletic have a new article this evening with the Ten Haag quotes but also include the below from the sporting director:


Xhaka’s Leverkusen contract runs until 2028 and the club’s sporting managing director Simon Rolfes reiterated his importance to the club, but described any potential departure as a “three-party” matter.

“I have repeatedly said that Granit is an important leader,“ Rolfes said. ”The coach and I agree on that. We are in dialogue with all our players. In the end, it’s always a three-party situation. Granit still has a three-year contract — and in principle, there can only be a change if all three sides agree to it.

“Topics like this always cause discussions and conversations. That’s why it doesn’t shock me.”

 

We can't just cave to Leverkusen's demands but I absolutely wouldn't be walking away from this deal at all. I'd be doing what it takes to get this player in a red and white shirt!

Xhaka would be up there with the highest quality players we've owned this century. He'll be up there with the greatest leaders we've owned this century. Then to top it off, he's made people sit up and take notice of us today. People up and down the country who haven't heard of Diarra are suddenly saying "**** me, Sunderland mean business". That's good to attract other signings and it's good for our reputation.

 

The whole thing is absolutely ****ing bonkers.

 

Honestly think it’ll speed up tomorrow. We’ve spent weeks trying to convince him and have an agreement on personal terms and the player wants to come

It’s in the best interests of everyone surely to strike a deal

 

I agree I think it’ll be done by the end of the week latest on whether he’s coming or not

 

I hope you’re right. In many ways I don’t care too much about the fee as I trust this ownership to do what’s best for the club. And at the end of the day all I care about is having the best Sunderland side on the pitch. And this guy’s a level up.

 

To me this smacks of when we were selling Jobe. Every man and his dog knew he was off to Dortmund but ‘someone’ said we wouldn’t accept less than 40 mil and Dortmund were saying 20 odd…couple days later he was sold.


pinched from OTR

 

honestly selling Jobe feels like a whole year ago already. This window has gone on forever and still has 6 feckin weeks left

 

I’ve backed us to win the league with a 52 point head start at 12/1. If we can get to 40pts that could well do it.

 

Same here, I'm loving what the club are doing.

Just sell Dan Neil and Patterson, bring back LND and Jack Clarke ...

... play with a rush keeper and tell Hume to cripple anyone who looks like they're coming over the halfway line

 

Those are great odds, where have you found that bet mate?

 

Can't say I'm missing him at all. The club feels so well run with so much forward planning nowadays.

 

William Hill, mate.

When you go on their site…
Football
Premier league
Outrights

Scroll down to season handicap and it’s on there.

You need to remember you’re betting against every other team as well. Apart from when City and Liverpool were putting daft points on the board it’s usually about 94/95 points takes it, sometimes it’s a tad lower. You can go e/w at 1/4 odds on 4 places.

I’ve just done us to win it outright, though.

 

Hold your horses mate. I never checked last season. It was high scoring, Forest walked it. Unusual to get that many points. On reflection we probably need about 45-50 points to give us every chance at winning it.

Sheff Utd won it a few seasons back when they had a 52 point head start.

 

I'm still absolutely buzzing over the possibility of Xhaka. It will be such a big signing for us.

After Xhaka, how many more players do we need to stay up?

I didn't think we'd need loads at the start of the summer but now I'm looking and I think it's 4 more to stay up, 6 would be the ideal number to have.

Without GK, CBx2 and a CF, I think we'll still probably be relegated. There's no depth at any of these positions and we need better starting quality too.

Nice to have would be RW and RB cover (but I'm happy with Hume as a starter).

 

As you've pointed out a GK, X2 CB and a striker are a minimum for me.

I just wonder how much we'll have to spend on a striker as it needs to be someone who can hit the ground running.

 

Striker is the tricky one for me. I love Mayenda and I think Isidor will be useful in games but if I'm completely honest, I just don't see enough goals there. We need a different profile up there, I don't mind if they're rotational, just something different to add to the mix when what we have isn't working.

 

I can’t see us signing one on a perm, think it’ll be where we use the loan market, guiu at Chelsea someone of that ilk