Sunderland

Aside from the opening weekend's game against West Ham and the final fixture of the season against Chelsea, all dates are subject to change as a result of broadcast and other requirements.

See Sunderland's full fixture list here

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The first Wear-Tyne derby on Sunderland's Premier League return will be at the Stadium of Light on Monday 12 December.

Regis le Bris' side will then travel to Newcastle over the weekend of 21-22 March.

The Black Cats squad will also have their eyes on 3 December and 11 February - the two midweek dates they are currently due to face defending champions Liverpool - with a midweek trip to Anfield up first.

And what about the schedule over Christmas and New Year? Well, Sunderland travel to Brighton, before hosting Leeds and Manchester City to finish the year. They then visit Tottenham for their first game of 2026.

Finally, they will close their campaign at home against Chelsea on Sunday, 24 May 2026 - when all 10 matches will kick off at 16:00 BST.

Looking at the fixture list, where do you think Le Bris' side will be after 10 games? Have your say here

Sunderland will host West Ham in their opening game of the 2025-26 Premier League season on their return to the top flight.

The match will take place at 15:00 BST on Saturday, 16 August, with the Black Cats' first away fixture at fellow promoted side Burnley on the weekend of 23-24 August.

See Sunderland's Premier League fixtures in full here

Where do you think Regis le Bris' side will be after 10 games and what do you make of how the fixtures have fallen? Tell us here

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As the transfer window is open again until 1 September, we asked you to tell us one player you want Sunderland to sign, and a player you want to be sold this summer.

Here are some of your comments:

James: He seems like a nice kid but I didn't feel Hjelde was good enough for the Championship, let alone the Premier League. We need another skilful midfielder alongside Dan Neil who can defend, attack and get a few goals. It would be great to replace Jobe and compete with Chrissy Rigg.

Roy: The one out would be Pierre Ekwah. Clearly not in Le Bris' Championship plans so probably has no future post-promotion. Still worthy of a decent sale price. One in would be Lennon Miller. He played really well for Scotland recently, off the back of a good season at Motherwell. Fits the age profile and I would think the data, too.

Liam: We need to sign Jordan Henderson back at all costs. He's a solid centre mid. He knows the city and the Premier League well, and the experience he could offer our players is second to none. There's no-one I would say I would 'get rid of' but I think we could afford to lose Ekwah.

Gary: I'd sell Neil as he is too inconsistent. He gets caught in possession and gives the ball away too much. I would buy Amad Diallo. Best loan signing ever and he would help our team immensely. He also loves Sunderland and would come if given the option.

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Former Sunderland defender Darren Williams sits down with BBC Radio Newcastle's Simon Pryde to relive their top five moments at the Stadium of Light.

From unforgettable goals to electric atmospheres, this is a must-listen for Black Cats supporters. Whether you were there in the stands or watching from home, this will take you right back. Don't miss it!

Listen now on BBC Sounds

No sooner does the season finish and we start looking forward to key dates for the next campaign - and that will be a lot easier to do on Wednesday when the Premier League fixtures are released.

That's right, that special day in the calendar is almost here already. The day when you'll learn details of derby fixtures, Christmas opponents and end-of-season run-ins.

This page will bring you all the fixtures when they drop at 09:00 BST on Wednesday and we'll be giving you the chance to have your say on how things look.

The new campaign kicks off on the weekend of Saturday, 16 August and it will conclude on Sunday, 24 May 2026, when all 10 games will take place at the same time.

The transfer window is open again for summer business to be conducted.

Clubs can now strike deals until the deadline at 19:00 BST on 1 September.

So if you can sell one player, who is it? And if you can buy one player only, who gets the nod?

Give us reasons for your choice but remember, in this instance it's a strict one player leaving and one coming in.

Send your selections here

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Sunderland legend Marco Gabbiadini chose Eric Gates, Sebastian Larsson, Stephane Sessegnon, Michael Bridges and Billy Hughes as the most skilful players to have played for the club.

Here are some names that you thought were missing from the list:

Jeff: I pretty much agree, but for me I would have had Niall Quinn first!

Thomas: Stan Cummings, Ally McCoist, Micky Gray, Brian Clough.

Alastair: These are modern era players. What about the greats of yesteryear? Stan Anderson to name one.

Phil: Steed Malbranque.

Richard: Charlie Hurley, Len Shackleton, Kevin Phillips, Bobby Gurney and Asamoah Gyan would all feature on a list of all-time Sunderland greats.

Eddie: Frank Worthington was a genius with a football. Must be top.

Listen to Gabbiadini detail his selections

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Former Sunderland manager Peter Reid - who twice won the Black Cats promotion into the Premier League - has been looking back on taking charge of the club 30 years ago.

The ex-Everton and Manchester City player took the reigns in March 1995 with Sunderland battling relegation in the second tier, but with seven games of the season remaining, Reid oversaw just the one loss and managed to keep them up.

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle in a special episode, Reid recalled: "They were great games, the Sheffield United one was a very important one and I always thank Craig [Russell] for coming on as a sub and getting the winner," Reid said.

"To be fair, the crowd played their part and obviously the players, the players were magnificent. I think we went to Derby and beat them as well which was a fantastic result.

"After the Sheffield United game, I remember going to the chairman and saying 'listen I need to get something for the players so give me £500 to take them out' and the bill came to about £1200 so I had to find £700 from somewhere.

"So I was fining the lads for mis-passing the ball in training and everything and once I got the £700 I told them 'it's over now lads' and I told them the story and they took it all in the spirit that it was meant."

Nottingham Forest are rivalling Leeds and Sunderland for 31-year-old Mozambique left-back Reinildo Mandava, who is out of contract with Atletico Madrid this summer. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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Former Sunderland player Darren Williams has admitted he was hopeful that Jobe Bellingham would stay at the club after the play-off final.

Bellingham has joined Borussia Dortmund for an initial fee of £27m, and will be involved in the Club World Cup squad for his new side.

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, Williams said that while he wishes Bellingham all the best in Germany, it would have been good to see him play in the Premier League.

He said: "We brought him in at a low cost and two years later we're making a good amount on him - [but] I'd have love to see him play for us in the Premier League and test himself.

"I've got no qualms - he's been brilliant. He's achieved something with Sunderland. I was hopeful after the final that he would stay, and then the news came about interest from Germany.

"I wish him all the best. It's fantastic money. The club has made good money from the last four players sold."

Listen to the full clip on BBC Sounds here

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Throughout Wednesday, we have been revealing who Sunderland legend Marco Gabbiadini believes are the club's most skilful players ever.

And finally we have reached top spot.

He awards first place to Eric Gates, with whom he forged a formidable strike partnership dubbed the G-force during their time together in the 1980s.

While his time with the club did include a relegation, Gates is still considered one of the cleverest forwards of his time.

"I can remember watching Eric when I wasa kid at a caravan on a black-and-white TV," Gabbiadini told BBC Radio Newcastle. "I was watching him play European football matches [for Ipswich], and then I got to play with him a few years later.

"In an era when pitches weren't great, he wasn't a silky winger, but he had a really clever, deft touch in the way that he played.

"Every time he got the ball, he was always looking to play through people and around people. Defenders didn't know whether he was going to keep it or lay it off, which was also a great skill. He would flick it with his first touch around the corner."

So, there it is, the top five most skilful players in Sunderland's history, according to Gabbiadini.

1. Eric Gates

2. Sebastian Larsson

3. Stephane Sessegnon

4. Michael Bridges

5. Billy Hughes

How would you rank these five? Have a go over here

And who did Gabbiadini miss out? Tell us here

Listen back on BBC Sounds

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Throughout Wednesday, we have been revealing who Sunderland legend Marco Gabbiadini believes to be the club's most skilful players ever.

Just missing out on top spot is Sweden midfielder Sebastian Larsson.

Larsson played in the Stadium of Light for six years and earned the reputation of being dependable whilst being lethal from set-pieces. His work ethic, delivery, tactical and positional intelligence were considered amongst the best in the league during his time.

Speaking on BBC Radio, Gabbiadini expanded more on this and praised him as a player who could change the game in an instant.

"Seb Larsson was a quality player and he had that ability to have a magic moment and just see a really good pass. He scored a number of free-kicks as well. When he connected correctly, they were lovely goals.

"I think he was a player that the fans liked, and when he got the ball, he always used it in a clever way. He could see a pass and open up a game. He's one who's up there."

Worked out who the winner is yet? Come back later on Wednesday to find out.

Or listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

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Throughout Wednesday, we are revealing who Sunderland legend Marco Gabbiadini believes are the club's most skilful players ever.

Up next in third place is Stephane Sessegnon.

Sessegnon made almost 100 appearances for the Black Cats during his two-and-a-half-year stint at the club after signing from Paris St-Germain in 2011. During that time, he played under three different managers and scored 18 goals.

His spell at Sunderland came to an end following a dispute with then-manager Paulo Di Canio.

Gabbiadini told BBC Radio Newcastle that Sessegnon was inconsistent but had the ability to get the supporters on the edge of their seats.

"He was an enigma - some days he could be quiet," Gabbiadini recalled. "I was a little bit down on him as consistency-wise and team-player-wise, I think he lacked a little bit. But he had the ability to have those moments where you went: 'Wow, how does he do that?'

"He did have a good record at Sunderland and at other clubs as well. He had some great moments when he was at the club. "

Listen on BBC Sounds - and return later for the top two!

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Some 30 years have passed since Peter Reid took charge of Sunderland to usher in a booming time in the club's history.

The team at BBC Radio Newcastle's Total Sport have had the man himself on the show and you can listen to the special episode here.

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Throughout Wednesday, we are revealing who Sunderland legend Marco Gabbiadini believes are the club's most skilful players ever.

Earlier, striker Billy Hughes was nominated in fifth and the Gabbiadini selects another forward in fourth, awarding it to Michael Bridges, who came through the ranks at the Stadium of the Light.

During his time at Sunderland, fans coined the phrase: "Michael Bridges, cool as fridges."

Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle, Gabbiadini said Bridges' greatest quality was to do the unexpected.

"Michael Bridges again was different," said Gabbiadini. "He scored goals differently - he would get into positions where the defenders and the goalkeepers were comfortable and he would flick it with his left foot. Always that kind of thing.

"I know he wasn't with the club for the huge chunk of his career, but I think he was a player the fans still remember very well.

"[This list] has got to be someone who was a little bit different and edgy. Bridges was a player who was respected."

Listen on BBC Sounds - return to this page later on Wednesday for the top three

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Throughout Wednesday, we are revealing who Sunderland legend Marco Gabbiadini believes are the club's most skilful players ever.

In fifth place, its 1960s and 70s legend Billy Hughes.

Hughes was an integral part of the 1973 FA Cup-winning side and Gabbiadini told BBC Radio Newcastle the striker brought a different skillset to other forwards of that time:

"People have always talked to me about Billy Hughes.

He was involved in a very successful team, and he is just one of those players who fans really engaged with. He was a little bit different - not a big bustling centre forward, which was the norm in his era.

"He was wave-like, almost like George Best.

"He scored really interesting goals. When you see them, they are really clever and he really used his imagination. For me, that is what defines his skills."

Listen on BBC Sounds - and come back later for the rest of the list!

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We asked for your views on what the impact of Jobe Bellingham's transfer will be, and how you would like the money reinvested at Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Freddie: I would love to see another Enzo le Fee type name linked. Ardon Jashari from Club Brugge or Mohamed Camara from Monaco would be excellent business, sticking to our model of buying young and selling big.

Andrew: It was inevitable Jobe would move on and his comments today show maturity beyond his years. Best wishes to you and your family, Jobe.

Tim: I don't see Sunderland rushing through any deals. I'd much prefer them to secure the right players at the right price. Jordan Henderson would be a great addition, with experience, but not if he is demanding silly wages. I do believe some of our current players will step up a level so a handful of new additions with experience would be great to see.

Colin: Good luck to Jobe. He wants to play at the highest level in the Champions League and we have got a fair price, which I hope will be used to improve the squad!

Graeme: Huge loss to Sunderland, but have total faith in club with replenishing the squad. Best wishes to Jobe (the adopted Mackem)!

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Jobe Bellingham says Sunderland have made him "the player that has reached the heights I find myself at today" as he completes transfer to Borussia Dortmund.

The 19-year-old has joined the Bundesliga side for a Black Cats club record fee of an initial 32m euros (£26.96m) plus 5m euros (£4.2m) in add-ons.

It brings to an end Bellingham's two-year stay at the Stadium of Light, having joined from Birmingham City in 2023. He made 47 appearances in his debut season, followed by 43 in 2024-25 as Premier League promotion was secured.

"It's time for me to say farewell to all the loyal people of Sunderland, who have powered me through two incredible years in red and white," Bellingham told club media.

"Your support, on so many occasions, has completely blown me away, especially in the times of adversity, which we pulled through together. You welcomed me with open arms as a kid leaving home for the first time, and I am proud that our relationship has grown to be so strong.

"I will always represent Wearside in all that I strive to achieve for the rest of my career, wherever that may be. I hope that I have made you proud along the way, and in return, you have made me the player that has reached the heights I find myself at today.

"I will love and remember you fondly for the rest of my life.

The England Under-21 international follows in the footsteps of his older brother, Jude, who also went to Dortmund before making the move to Real Madrid.

Black Cats sporting director Kristjaan Speakman added: "He has an unrelenting commitment to improvement that only the very best possess, and his progression is clear for all to see.

"Less obvious are the sacrifices and the challenges along the way, and I couldn't be prouder of how he's conducted himself and embraced the club, the community, and our supporters.

"He's lived and breathed Sunderland every step of the way."

So, now the news is confirmed, what impact will Bellingham's departure have? And how do you want to see the club record fee reinvested? Tell us how he should be replaced (and we want names) in the team.

Get in touch with your thoughts here