Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Sunderland winger Kieron Brady joins BBC Radio Newcastle's Simon Pryde to share his picks and debate some of the top names to have taken the managerial hot seat.
From club legends to unforgettable moments, it is a conversation every fan will have an opinion on as a top five list is discussed.
Listen on BBC Sounds to find out who has made the cut
Image source, Getty ImagesMembers of BBC Radio Newcastle's Total Sport fans' forum have been discussing a potential romantic return to Sunderland for Jordan Henderson.
Henderson played for the Black Cats between 2008 and 2011 before moving to Liverpool, where he captained the side to Premier League and Champions League glory.
The 35-year-old, who has left Ajax after the Dutch club agreed to end his contract early, would be Sunderland's first summer signing with top-flight experience in England.
The Sunderland fan on the programme said he did not want his team to target experienced, older players with a lot of Premier League games under their belts, but when asked if he would make an exception to sign Henderson, he replied: "Yes, I would.
"I'm not a massive fan of Jordan Henderson. I cannot believe he's still in the England squad. However, he's still getting picked in that England squad and I'm sure he can make a contribution to Sunderland if he came."
The Newcastle fan featured added: "For Jordan, he did say he wanted to finish his career in Sunderland.
"If Sunderland offer him a decent deal and his heart is in it then it cam be a win-win for all involved. If he's happy to come home it can be like Dan Burn at Newcastle. It would be nice to see him back."
Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds
So, what do you think? Would Henderson be a shrewd signing with so much Premier League experience? Or is he not worth pursuing ahead of younger targets?
Get in touch with your thoughts here
Noel Sliney
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesIn completing a deal for Club Brugge winger Chemsdine Talbi, Sunderland have invested in potential and pace.
Talbi, who turned 20 in May, only made his full senior debut in October last year but it was the first of 22 starts in all competitions. Seven of those came in the Champions League, scoring twice in an eye-catching win away to Atalanta in a knockout phase play-off.
Only five players registered a quicker top speed than Talbi in Europe's premier club competition last season.
"His speed is phenomenal – it's his best asset," says old team-mate Simon Mignolet, the former Sunderland and Liverpool goalkeeper.
Talbi finished with seven goals and five assists in 2024-25 but his underlying numbers perhaps better highlight his attacking threat.
He ranked highest in the Belgian top flight with 0.22 assist-ending carries per 90 minutes. In layman's terms, it refers to the assists he provided directly after carrying the ball five metres or more. Talbi provided an identical figure for goal-ending carries per 90 minutes, the second most in the division.
He also ranked in the top 10 for most chances created from open play per 90 minutes (1.93) and fourth for most crosses (5.1).
All of which points to a direct, fleet-footed player, who comes alive in the final third.
The dual national Belgian-Moroccan plays most often on the right wing but his technical ability means he has been used in a variety of attacking positions for Club Brugge at both youth and senior level.
Such versatility will likely prove attractive to head coach Regis le Bris.
Image source, Getty ImagesClub Brugge fan Byron Yang says he believes new Sunderland signing Chemsdine Talbi is "not fully ready" for the Premier League but could still be an "important player" for the Black Cats if they need to play on the counter-attack.
"He's a very fast winger, he prefers playing near the sidelines," Byron told BBC Radio Newcastle.
"Because of his pace, he is very dangerous on counters. He's got great crossing skills but he isn't the flashiest dribbler.
"He usually uses his pace to get past defenders. In a league like the Premier League I think this will be a bit too predictable, so I'm expecting him to improve in the upcoming season.
"I do not think he is ready for the Premier League yet, but he does have the potential for it. I think the main issue for him for now is his finishing.
"He has missed some big chances in Belgium that will be more costly in the Premier League. If he can improve on this I think he will be good enough."
When asked if Talbi's move to the Black Cats is the right step at this stage of his career, Byron added: "It's risky because, again, he is not fully ready yet but I do think he fits the counter-attacking style Sunderland may be playing next season.
"That is why he could still be an important player for them, even without goals and assists."
Image source, Getty ImagesChemsdine Talbi described Sunderland as "a good project" with "a really exciting team" after becoming their latest signing.
The 20-year-old winger has joined from Belgian side Club Brugge on a five-year contract for 21m euros (£18m), plus 3m euros (£2.5m) in add-ons. He becomes the Black Cats' fourth addition of the summer.
Talbi, who was born in Belgium but has pledged his international future to Morocco, comes with the experience of having played in the Champions League, but reiterated that his focus is on the challenge ahead.
"It's the biggest and best league in the world, so I'm really looking forward to playing in the Premier League," he told club media.
"It was a good project, a good team, a really exciting team with a lot of young players - so it motivated me to come here.
"I'm really excited to play for this club, and I really appreciate being here.
"I played in the Champions League – one of the biggest leagues in the world – so I will try to do my best to show how players need to adapt to a difficult or really stressful game."
Talbi scored seven goals and provided five assists across 44 appearances for Club Brugge in 2024-25.
Image source, Getty ImagesJeremy Beren from That Atleti Podcast gives BBC Radio Newcastle the lowdown on new Sunderland left-back Reinildo, whose contract at Atletico Madrid expired last month:
"There's a before and after. Before the knee injury in 2023 and after. It remains to be seen which one Sunderland are going to get.
"Before the injury, Reinildo was one of Atletico's best players. He was among their most important and impactful. Super strong, quick, athletic, terrific defensive instincts. He really found a home as a wide centre-back in Diego Simeone's 3-5-2.
"After the knee injury, we saw him struggle to regain his place. He went 10 months without playing. He came back and he lost some of that speed that he was heavily reliant on. He struggled to hold down a place this past season.
"He will bring leadership, he's a great character with wonderful charisma and personality. I think he'll be a hit for Sunderland.
"At Atleti he was signed to play left-back in a 4-4-2 but that wasn't really the formation they were using at the time, so Simeone stuck him on the left of a central defence trio. That was the best of Reinildo, making all kinds of blocks and clearances. With his speed, he could keep up with anybody.
"He's more of a stay at home left-back type. He didn't have that many goal contributions at Atletico. I wouldn't expect a strong offensive contribution from him. I would say most of his value is going to come out of possession."
Sunderland are nearing a deal to sign 20-year-old Morocco forward Chemsdine Talbi from Belgian side Club Brugge. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Nectarios Triantis aims to impress in pre-season for the Black Cats amid interest from Hibernian in the midfielder, who had a loan spell at East Road last season. (Daily Record), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
The BBC's search to find a new football expert is under way, with 12 content creators competing in Last Pundit Standing to win a role as BBC Sport's next football content creator.
The first two episodes of the show - co-hosted by former Watford captain Troy Deeney and YouTuber and football presenter James Allcott - are available to watch on iPlayer, as well as BBC Sport's YouTube channel and TikTok account, with new episodes every week until 11 August.
The contestants, who were chosen from more than 400 applicants, will be whittled down through a series of tasks staged at iconic football locations as the creators are challenged by some of the biggest names in the game.
Watch the first two episodes of Last Pundit Standing now on BBC iPlayer
Image source, Getty ImagesNew signing Reinildo Mandava says he "can't wait to play for a historic club like Sunderland" after his move from Atletico Madrid was confirmed.
The 31-year-old has signed a two-year deal at the Stadium of Light following the expiry of his contract at the end of Atletico's recent Club World Cup campaign.
"It is a dream come true because it has always been my ambition to play in the Premier League – and I can't wait to play for an historic club like Sunderland," the left-back said on his arrival.
"I'm excited to meet the team, to fight, and to give everything for the club. I want to help, to give power to my team-mates, and transmit my experience in the dressing room. Above all else, I want to make people happy and I will give everything to make that happen."
Reinildo made 99 appearances for Diego Simeone's side after joining from Lille in 2022 and has earned 35 caps for the Mozambique national team.
Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman added: "We've had to be patient to finalise this transfer due to his involvement in the Club World Cup, but we're delighted to welcome Reinildo to Wearside.
"We feel he's an ideal profile for our full-back position and his experience is a perfect fit for our squad composition. He's shown a real desire to join our club throughout our discussions, and to be the first Mozambican to play in the Premier League.
"He's highly motivated by this challenge and he has a personality I'm sure our supporters will connect with, so we are looking forward to welcoming him to Sunderland later this month."
Sunderland are among the clubs showing interest in Lens midfielder Neil El Aynaoui, but face competition from Premier League rivals Leeds United and Wolves - as well as European heavyweights Roma, Juventus and AC Milan - for the 24-year-old Moroccan. (Footmercato - in French), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesBBC Radio Newcastle spoke to football consultant and podcaster Scott Coyne about what fans can expect from Sunderland's latest addition, 20-year-old Noah Sadiki.
"A really exciting young player, really fit," Coyne said. "You might look at Noah's stats and think: 'I'm not quite sure I see anything here', but he's a player who very much passes the eye test rather than necessarily the stats test.
"His overall contribution is important – his pace, and his physicality - and he's a really mature player for his age as well. I think he's going to add a lot to the squad. He's a really exciting player."
Sadiki was part of the Union Saint-Gilloise side that won the Belgian league last season and has already racked up more than 100 senior appearances, despite his tender age.
"He's a very composed young player," Coyne added. "He tends to make good choices with his passing and that tells us he's ahead of his development for his age. Stepping up to the Premier League now is just going to push that development to another stage.
"He's very versatile player and can play as an attacking midfielder, a defensive midfielder and on the right wing as well so there's a number of options.
"One thing he does well is switch very quickly between defensive aspects and offensive roles. He's stoic at breaking up the play and his ball recovery [is good] as well. All of that is going to suit the intense nature of the Premier League."
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on Danny Collins' list of the top five Sunderland centre-backs of the past 50 years (scroll to 12:26 BST on 4 July to see his choices).
Here are some of your comments:
Paul: How could any Sunderland supporter leave out Charlie Hurley? Number one by a distance.
Frank: Dave Watson and Charley Hurley were both phenomenal centre-backs. None of the others could compare - apart from Steve Bould (who was there with them), but there were not enough games under his belt.
John: Absolutely agree. Watson was not the biggest player, but for timing, athleticism and a sheer will to win every header and tackle, I've never seen a better one. Hurley may win it by the number of goals scored. You should have been at the matches to hear the whole crowd chanting "Charlie, Charlie, Charlie" for him to come up for a corner.
Colin: Really depends on how old you are, but Hurley was the best centre-half to play for Sunderland that I saw. Watson was great too.
Steve: King Charlie wasn't someone you would like to experience too often in a tussle.
Paul: Shaun Elliott and Jeff Clarke?
Image source, Getty ImagesNew Sunderland signing Noah Sadiki says his experience of winning silverware in Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise have "shaped" him before he embarks on the challenge of playing in the Premier League.
The 20-year-old DR Congo midfielder was part of the Union SG team that won the 2024 Belgian Cup before playing 29 times last season as the club ended their 90-year wait to win the Belgian Pro League title.
"These achievements shaped me a lot because it wasn't easy to win the trophies," Sadiki said after moving to the Stadium of Light for a reported £15m on a five-year contract.
"Union SG has brought me a lot and it's thanks to them that I am here right now.
"I want to thank them and wish them all the luck in the Champions League. This team deserves it 90 years after winning the title.
"I am now ready for a new challenge."
Sadiki also revealed a conversation with Black Cats boss Regis le Bris played a key role in making the move happen.
"I talked with him and he convinced me to come to Sunderland," he added. "These kinds of people like to get involved a lot. I look forward to working with him because his playing style fits my style of play.
"What convinced me was the project that they had for me. The owner wanted to talk to me after the research they had done on me.
"Sunderland is a big club in England. I'm really happy to have made my decision. They talked to me about their history and what they wanted to build. This is my team now."
Sunderland's sporting director added: "Noah's enjoyed a great level of experience at a relatively young age, and alongside his drive to improve, this makes him an exciting addition to our squad.
Our interest in acquiring his talents was long-standing, and we believe our culture and playing identity will enable him to thrive."
Image source, Getty ImagesWe have been revealing former Sunderland defender Danny Collins' top-five Black Cats central defenders of the past 50 years.
Taking top spot is Dave Watson, who played for the club between 1970 and 1975 after a £100,000 move from Rotherham United.
Watson began his career as a striker but was converted into a centre-back while at Sunderland in 1972 by manager Bob Stokoe, before winning the FA Cup in 1973.
"It's difficult but one of them was part of a trophy-winning team," Collins told BBC Radio Newcastle.
"Watson got converted from an attacking player to a centre-back and a year later was winning the FA Cup against a Leeds side who were right up there at the time," said Collins.
"He's gone in there and learned his new position within a season and it shows how good he was that he went on to make 65 appearances for England."
Watson did not miss a Three Lions match between 1976 and 1980 and featured in all matches at Euro 1980.
Here's a recap of Collins' five best centre-backs to play for Sunderland:
Dave Watson
Gary Bennett
Steve Bould
Jonny Evans
Dan Ballard
Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds
Now it's over to you... what do you make of Collins' choices? Who is missing from the list?
Image source, Sunderland AFCSunderland have unveiled their 2025-26 away shirt as the club prepares for life in the Premier League.
The club said the shirt is inspired by the 1989-91 away kid, nodding to "an unforgettable era for the Lads".
The club said: "Paying tribute to Sunderland's proud maritime identity, the kit features a bespoke pattern inspired by the view of the Roker Beach lighthouse from through the 'C' Sculpture, woven into the fabric to reflect the city's deep connection to the sea.
"'City by the Sea' is stitched into the back of the neck, while the inside collar features a poetic nod to our coastal home with lyrics from The Lake Poets:
"'Yes, I come from a city by the sea
"and its shores and its waters
"have become a part of me'"
Image source, Sunderland AFC
Image source, Getty ImagesThroughout Friday, we are revealing former Sunderland defender Danny Collins' top five Black Cats central defenders of the past 50 years.
In third place, Collins chose Steve Bould, who spent a season at the club from 1999-200 after 11 distinguished and trophy-laden years at Arsenal.
"I know he didn't play too many games and came in at 36-years-old but Sunderland were back in the Premier League and secured a good, solid seventh-placed finish. He was a classy player and maybe would have doubted himself after so long at Arsenal.
"He was brilliant but only played 23 games, which is why we're looking at the other two."
Taking the silver medal is Gary Bennett, who made almost 450 appearances between 1984 and 1995 for the club, placing him fifth on the club's all-time appearance list.
"Longevity - 443 games. Goalscoring centre back who chipped in after scoring on his debut. I didn't see too much of Benno but by all accounts he was a modern centre back in the way he stepped in on the ball. He could drive forward, was quick and ticked a lot of boxes.
"He's on one of the staircases [at the Stadium of Light]. I see him every time I'm at one of the games. The achievements and longevity is amazing."
Listen to Collins' selections here
Or come back later on Friday to discover who Collins considers the best centre-back to play for Sunderland.
Image source, Getty ImagesThroughout Friday, we will be revealing former Sunderland defender Danny Collins' top five Black Cats central defenders of the past 50 years.
In fifth place, Collins has opted for current player Dan Ballard, who was the goalscoring hero in last season's dramatic play-off win over Coventry City.
"You see what he brings to the team," said Collins.
"Big call to bring him back in against Coventry and he was outstanding, best player on the pitch for the two games, and again outstanding at Wembley in the final. Old school, rugged centre-back. I like watching him out there."
Since joining Sunderland from Arsenal in July 2022, the 25-year-old has made 89 appearances, and fought back from a hamstring injury late in the season to play a key role in the successful play-off campaign.
Jonny Evans, who had two loan spells at the Stadium of Light from Manchester United between 2006 and 2008. was selected in fourth place.
"I had the pleasure of playing aside him and even at that age, the composure of the young lad coming in was impressive," Collins said on Evans.
"Then he came back in the season after we got promoted and progressed. The club were looking to buy him but United could see he was a player and kept him and he won numerous trophies and won 107 caps for Northern Ireland.
"Fantastic player - 37 now and still about it."
Listen to Collins' selections here
Or come back later on Friday to discover who Collins considers the best centre-backs to play for Sunderland.
Image source, Getty ImagesBBC Radio Newcastle's Simon Pryde has been discussing what Sunderland's new director of football Florent Ghisolfi will bring to the Stadium of Light, and how his responsibilities will differ to current sporting director Kristjaan Speakman.
Ghisolfi, 40, left a position as sporting director at AS Roma last month before taking the role at Sunderland, which he will begin on Thursday.
"Kristjaan Speakman covers a lot of bases," Pryde said, "He's in overall control of everything that goes on in the football club. From the academy, to the first team, to the strategy that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus [the chairman] wants to implement.
"I think Ghisolfi will be on recruitment. His umbrella will be over player recruitment and the first team squad. Speakman has a wide brief at the moment and this will allow him to focus because the structures in the Premier League are vastly different than those in the EFL. [There are] a lot more hoops to jump through and lot more administration.
"Ghisolfi has plenty of experience. [He was] assistant manager at Lorient for two years. [As a football director] he's been at Lens and he's been at Nice so he has a glowing reputation within football as a director."
Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, 25, is set to join Saudi Arabian side Neom, despite Sunderland having a £12.8m bid accepted for the Poland international. (Meczyki - in Polish), external
The Black Cats therefore have turned their attention to signing Chelsea's Serbia goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, 25, but face competition from Aston Villa and Bournemouth. (Times), external
Finally, Sunderland are also nearing the capture of Union Saint-Gilloise's DR Congo player Noah Sadiki, 20, who can play in defence or midfield. (Sunderland Echo), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesSunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus says the appointment of Florent Ghisolfi as the club's new director of football "enhances our capabilities".
Ghisolfi, 40, left a role as sporting director at AS Roma last month and Sunderland say his appointment is part of the "organic evolution of SAFC's long-term strategy".
Ghisolfi, who was previously sporting director at Ligue 1 sides Lens and Nice in France, said: "The club – players, staff, and supporters – achieved an amazing result last season.
"Together, these people brought Sunderland back to the Premier League and I'm strongly determined to bring my experience and support this group to ensure the squad is ready to take the next step.."
Owner Louis-Dreyfus said Sunderland "face a new challenge" after sealing promotion to the Premier League and believes Ghisolfi is part of their adapting to increased demands.
"The appointment of Florent marks an exciting new chapter in that journey," Louis-Dreyfus said. "[It] enhances our capabilities in line with the club's long-term vision, and evolving our leadership structure in this way reflects our continued commitment to building a sustainable and competitive football club."
