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Sunderland, the new French-speaking bastion of the Premier League

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In the past, real French colonies have settled in the Premier League, in Arsenal - which had seven Frenchies in its squad between 2002 and 2005 - or Newcastle - with nine players from France in 2013. Sunderland AFC, which will return to the elite next season for the first time since 2017, seems to have adapted this concept. Until then, he has only recruited French-speaking players, thanks to the jackpot promised to promoted Championship clubs (estimated at €238 million according to the BBC).

The Black Cats have welcomed, in recent weeks, the Senegalese Habib Diarra (recruited in Strasbourg for €37 million), the Belgian Chemsdine Talbi (Club Bruges, €20 million), the Congolese Noah Sadiki (Union Saint-Gilloise, €17 million), the Ivorian Simon Adingra (Brighton, €21 million) and the Mozambican Reinildo, who passed through Lille (2019-2022), left free by Atlético de Madrid. These have joined a squad that already included Wilson Isidor, Enzo Le Fée (whose €23 million purchase option at AS Rome was lifted after the accession) and Eliezer Mayenda (a Spaniard trained in Sochaux who could have played for the Bleuets). The SAFC has also positioned itself to attract Armand Laurienté (26 years old, Sassuolo, under contract until 2027) and is closely interested in Valentin Rongier (30 years old, Marseille, 2026).

All these players therefore have in common to be able to express themselves in the language of Molière, which can give the impression that it is a selection criterion. Especially since Sunderland's recruitment process involves two Frenchmen, football director Florent Ghisolfi and coach Régis Le Bris, a Franco-Swiss (owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus) and an English sports director Kristjaan Speakman. "We have to be all four aligned to validate an arrival," says Ghisolfi, whose appointment was formalised last week.

"All our recruits also speak English"

Florent Ghisolfi, Sunderland football director

The former sporting director of Lens, Nice and AS Rome recognises his natural tendency to be interested in profiles passed through Championships in which he worked, while indicating that French will not become the favourite language of the locker room: "All our recruits also speak English. In any case, we do not recruit according to linguistic considerations, but according to a player's potential, his ability to perform in the Premier League and connect with our supporters. Reinildo, for example, will certainly be adored here, as he was in Lille and Madrid, because he doesn't let go: it's a fundamental value in Sunderland. ”

Aouchiche loaned, Pembélé and Ba invited to find a drop point

The leader insists on the strong English connotation that the Black Cats will retain next season: "We have an important base with players like Chris Rigg, Daniel Ballard, Romaine Mundle or Luke O'Nien who are of high quality and will play an important role. In addition, according to our information, the club will encourage two French people who were on loan last season, Timothée Pembélé (who was in Le Havre; under contract until 2028) and Abdoullah Ba (Dunkerque, L2; 2027), to find a new point of fall, like Adil Aouchiche, who has just gone on loan to Aberdeen, which goes against the theory that French-speaking profiles would be privileged.

" Eight years away from the elite does not change the fact that Sunderland is a Premier League club by definition"

Florent Ghisolfi, Sunderland football director

quite telling the Dan Neil wasn’t mentioned in that along with Rigg, Mundle, Ballard and Onien being high quality and having an important role. Thought with him being captain would have been mentioned first… is he away? Possible in my opinion
 
"All our recruits also speak English. In any case, we do not recruit according to linguistic considerations, but according to a player's potential, his ability to perform in the Premier League and connect with our supporters. Reinildo, for example, will certainly be adored here, as hewas in Lille and Madrid, because he doesn't letgo: it's a fundamental value in Sunderland. ”

This is excellent. All of the players speaking English is a bonus which I have noticed in their interviews. But the last line is so important when explaining Reinaldo. They've identified core values which make us Sunderland and they're signing players that fit our values, not just players that have talent.
 
Sunderland, the new French-speaking bastion of the Premier League

Share

Www.lequipe.fr

Direct

In the past, real French colonies have settled in the Premier League, in Arsenal - which had seven Frenchies in its squad between 2002 and 2005 - or Newcastle - with nine players from France in 2013. Sunderland AFC, which will return to the elite next season for the first time since 2017, seems to have adapted this concept. Until then, he has only recruited French-speaking players, thanks to the jackpot promised to promoted Championship clubs (estimated at €238 million according to the BBC).

The Black Cats have welcomed, in recent weeks, the Senegalese Habib Diarra (recruited in Strasbourg for €37 million), the Belgian Chemsdine Talbi (Club Bruges, €20 million), the Congolese Noah Sadiki (Union Saint-Gilloise, €17 million), the Ivorian Simon Adingra (Brighton, €21 million) and the Mozambican Reinildo, who passed through Lille (2019-2022), left free by Atlético de Madrid. These have joined a squad that already included Wilson Isidor, Enzo Le Fée (whose €23 million purchase option at AS Rome was lifted after the accession) and Eliezer Mayenda (a Spaniard trained in Sochaux who could have played for the Bleuets). The SAFC has also positioned itself to attract Armand Laurienté (26 years old, Sassuolo, under contract until 2027) and is closely interested in Valentin Rongier (30 years old, Marseille, 2026).

All these players therefore have in common to be able to express themselves in the language of Molière, which can give the impression that it is a selection criterion. Especially since Sunderland's recruitment process involves two Frenchmen, football director Florent Ghisolfi and coach Régis Le Bris, a Franco-Swiss (owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus) and an English sports director Kristjaan Speakman. "We have to be all four aligned to validate an arrival," says Ghisolfi, whose appointment was formalised last week.

"All our recruits also speak English"

Florent Ghisolfi, Sunderland football director

The former sporting director of Lens, Nice and AS Rome recognises his natural tendency to be interested in profiles passed through Championships in which he worked, while indicating that French will not become the favourite language of the locker room: "All our recruits also speak English. In any case, we do not recruit according to linguistic considerations, but according to a player's potential, his ability to perform in the Premier League and connect with our supporters. Reinildo, for example, will certainly be adored here, as he was in Lille and Madrid, because he doesn't let go: it's a fundamental value in Sunderland. ”

Aouchiche loaned, Pembélé and Ba invited to find a drop point

The leader insists on the strong English connotation that the Black Cats will retain next season: "We have an important base with players like Chris Rigg, Daniel Ballard, Romaine Mundle or Luke O'Nien who are of high quality and will play an important role. In addition, according to our information, the club will encourage two French people who were on loan last season, Timothée Pembélé (who was in Le Havre; under contract until 2028) and Abdoullah Ba (Dunkerque, L2; 2027), to find a new point of fall, like Adil Aouchiche, who has just gone on loan to Aberdeen, which goes against the theory that French-speaking profiles would be privileged.

" Eight years away from the elite does not change the fact that Sunderland is a Premier League club by definition"

Florent Ghisolfi, Sunderland football director

Interesting that he stresses that they all speak English.

When Arsene Wenger was at Arsenal, they had a rule that only English could be spoken during training , during matches and at club meetings etc. Always seemed right to me that.
 
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Seems like the club wanted to pour cold water on the lazy links to us before he signed elsewhere.

Got to think, he probably wanted to come back but he doesn't fit what the club wants. They probably sae him being linked and thought best point out we aren't interested before it's spun that whoever he signs for beat us to his signature!
 
Hendo joining Brentford

I suppose they will think he'll replace Norgaard. But that lad covers a lot of ground, he's a hell of a signing for Arsenal IMO. Not sure Hendo will get around like that now. And the PL is relentless.
 
It’s really 100% confirmed to me that we just didn’t want Hendo
 
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