When Dan Neil signed an extension to his contract little over a year ago, the mood was quite different on Wearside.

Sunderland had held a promotion-chasing Luton Town side to a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light and, although it appeared as though their own push for a top six finish was beginning to dwindle away having won just one of seven games in the Championship’s spring, things felt on the up.

In their first season back from a four-year Championship hiatus, Sunderland were, arguably, punching well above their means with being involved in a play-off race as Tony Mowbray picked up the pieces vacated by Alex Neil at the beginning of the season and moulded them into one of the most entertaining Sunderland teams seen over the last decade or more.

Neil was integral to that.

 

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Having made his senior debut for the club in 2018, Neil has progressed through the academy ranks to firmly establish himself as a key cog in the Sunderland machine with one shy of 150 appearances to his name, despite still only being 22-years-old, and one of the club’s leading assets in terms of a potential financial gain.

Neil was named North East Football Writers’ young player of the year in 2022, shortly before penning a new deal at the Stadium of Light until the summer of 2026.

Dan Neil has stalled over talks regarding a new deal at the Stadium of Light after Sunderland's head coach uncertaintyDan Neil has stalled over talks regarding a new deal at the Stadium of Light after Sunderland's head coach uncertainty (Image: Ian Horrocks)

Fast-forward 12 months, however, and things aren’t as rosy on Wearside.

Sunderland are on the back of a damning second half to their 2023-24 season having relinquished any momentum built up by their play-off campaign last year. With just five wins in 22 matches this calendar year, Sunderland no longer feels like a club on the up, rather a club treading water once more.

It’s a feeling amplified by the ongoing head coach saga, with the club still to find a permanent replacement for Michael Beale who was relieved of his duties just 12 games into a two-and-a-half-year contract back in February. A plethora of names have been and gone since the club’s hierarchy, spearheaded by majority owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, began their search for a new head coach after handing the reins over to Mike Dodds on an interim basis for the final 13 games of the season.

Dodds won just two of those 13 games as Sunderland finished the season just six points above the Championship’s relegation zone with the ‘progression’ the club so desperately covets hitting a significant buffer.

What’s more concerning within the club’s search for a new head coach is the apparent refusal of the position from a number of candidates. First it was Will Still, the 31-year-old head coach who made a name for himself in France with Stade de Reims, who agreed a deal in principle to take over at the Stadium of Light before being lured back to France with RC Lens who confirmed Still on a three-year deal recently – Still having cited concerns over the make-up of his backroom staff and investment strategy at the Stadium of Light before eventually snubbing the move.

Then it was Pascal Jansen, the former AZ Alkmaar boss who guided the Dutch side to the semi-finals of the Conference League in 2023, with, We Are Sunderland understands, the 51-year-old in favour of a move across Europe instead and Champions League football a possibility.

Most recently it was Liam Rosenior, the 39-year-old sacked by Hull City at the end of the season having missed out on a top six spot in the Championship. After initial talks failed to progress, Rosenior was considered once again following the decision over Jansen, but Rosenior, it’s understood, was keen to explore his options amid Burnley’s reported interest, meaning Sunderland missed out on another target.

Liam Rosenior became the latest head coach to distance himself from the Sunderland vacancyLiam Rosenior became the latest head coach to distance himself from the Sunderland vacancy (Image: Ian Horrocks)

With Sunderland’s near misses now playing out more in the public eye, it casts a growing doubt over the situation the club now finds itself in with the summer transfer window about to open before players return for pre-season duty at the end of the month. Along with the transfer window and any potential new recruits, the confusion and lack of direction over a head coach appointment is now also set to impact matters elsewhere with players currently under contract – including Neil.

Sunderland began negotiations with Neil recently regarding a fresh contract beyond 2026, having tied down the likes of Trai Hume, Dennis Cirkin, Dan Ballard and Aji Alese over the last year. But Neil, who is highly regarded at the Academy of Light, has rebuffed initial advances with the player believed to seek clarity over who the next head coach will be and how things play out in the short-term before committing his future.

Neil has plenty of admirers from the Premier League, with several top tier clubs having scouted the 22-year-old midfielder over the course of the last 12 months in particular since Sunderland’s return to the Championship. Neil featured in 43 of Sunderland’s 46 league games this season before an ankle injury ruled him out of the final three games, with Neil now in a race to overcome that injury heading into pre-season.

 

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While Sunderland remain relaxed about the process regarding Neil, owing to the length of time still remaining on his current deal, the fact he became the latest high profile player to stall over a potential new deal should be cause for concern.

It follows news of teenage midfielder Chris Rigg who is also keen to hold off on agreeing a contract with the club until a new head coach is appointed.

Rigg became one of the only positives in the second half of last season as the 16-year-old emerged as a future potential star despite the club’s form collapsing. Rigg was handed his first of eight Championship starts by interim head coach Dodds in the defeat to eventual title winners Leicester City in March and is another who is held in high regard internally.

Rigg’s early development has not gone unnoticed, however, with a raft of clubs queuing up to secure the young midfielder’s services over the course of the next month, with Rigg eligible to sign his first professional deal in football next week when he turns 17.

Chris Rigg was handed his first Championship start in the defeat to Leicester City in MarchChris Rigg was handed his first Championship start in the defeat to Leicester City in March (Image: Ian Horrocks)

Manchester United are at the front of that queue, with the FA Cup winners keen to bring the talented teenager to Old Trafford with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group willing to enact a series of major changes at all levels of the club following their successful takeover, including a flagship youth signing to signal their intention to shift their transfer approach. Sunderland’s North East neighbours Newcastle United also hold significant interest in Rigg while German duo Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have been credited with interest over recent months.

 

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It means Rigg, like Neil, will not be short of offers should Sunderland fail to meet expectations – something which is undoubtedly being hampered by the duration of the club’s head coach search.

Sunderland’s model to develop younger talent and progress with them or sell them on looks set to finally be tested this summer with last year’s sale of Ross Stewart the only time the club have seen one of their assets leave the club – albeit Stewart was hindered by a significant knee injury.

But to have two big name players in Neil and Rigg hesitant over proceedings does not mirror well on a club who are in desperate need to halt its downward trajectory of the last six months’ both on and off the field, particularly when factoring in Jack Clarke’s expected exit this summer.

Clarke, like Neil, has two years remaining on his deal but reached an impasse over a new contract last season after Premier League and Serie A interest. The 23-year-old is the leading goal contributor in the Championship over the course of the last two seasons with a combined 39 goals and assists since turning his loan move from Tottenham Hotspur into a permanent one.

Sunderland, however, remain under no pressure to sell having advocated the need for a ‘premium fee’ from any club to pry away one of their evolving talents.

But with the length of both Neil’s and Clarke’s contract decreasing from this summer, so too will their value, which leaves Sunderland in a predicament if, or when, an offer comes in from another club. If Sunderland were to lose any of Clarke, Neil or Rigg it would be considered a major blow and would only further ramp up the pressure on the club’s hierarchy heading into the new season.

The most frustrating aspect of it seems to be the situation was avoidable. Having had almost four months to source a new head coach, to not have one in place as the transfer window opens quite rightly opens concerns for players and supporters alike and one which may have further impact yet should Sunderland lose some of their star players as a result.