The story of Sunderland's transfer window and what next

Those were the words of Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman to We Are Sunderland with a week of the January transfer window remaining. Fast-forward those seven days, as the clock struck 11pm on February 1, and Speakman and Sunderland’s recruitment team have been left with a somewhat similar feeling as to whether their squad is fully equipped, or as equipped as it could have been, for the challenges and expectations ahead.

Those challenges and expectations, irrespective of the perceived successes or failings of this latest transfer window, will remain locked in on winning a race into the top-six in the Championship table and trying to go, at least, one better than last season’s play-off semi-final defeat.

"We want to be putting out a team that can be challenging at the top of the league," Speakman explained in a club interview last summer ahead of the return to pre-season following that gut-wrenching loss to Luton Town.

"No-one is satisfied with getting into the play-offs. While it is a great achievement in the first year back, we have to keep being successful and we have to keep improving,” he added on reflection of the club’s first year back in the second tier.

A point re-emphasised in an interview with The Athletic when saying: “We have to be clear here: the model is to create a team that can get promoted.”

He added: "Our main focus is around our squad composition. We have to capitalise on the opportunity when the transfer window comes up to be able to keep developing that squad and evolving the quality in it.”

But have Sunderland capitalised on that opportunity?

Three new additions made their way through the doors at the Stadium of Light in January: 20-year-old defender Leo Hjelde from Leeds United, 20-year-old winger Romaine Mundle from Standard Liege and 23-year-old utility-man Callum Styles from Barnsley – all three coming within 48-hours of the transfer window closing.

Those three supplemented as many as seven exits with 30-year-old Alex Pritchard leaving on a permanent deal for Birmingham City, 19-year-old Jewison Bennette heading to Greek Super League side Aris on loan, 20-year-old centre-back Nectarios Triantis heading north of the border to Hibernian on loan – Triantis joined by 18-year-old striker Eliezer Mayenda who also completed a loan switch to Edinburgh in the final minutes of the window, whilst there were also loan moves for Jay Matete to Oxford United and Jack Diamond to Carlisle United, with academy prospect Josh Robertson leaving on a permanent deal for Brighton & Hove Albion.

For a third straight transfer window, it seems, Sunderland have been unable to acquire what represents a recognised striker, whilst the desire to add further depth, presence and physicality to the centre of midfield has also gone awry.

“We’ve always shown that we can get some really, really good deals for Sunderland and we can progress.,” Speakman added to We Are Sunderland recently. “[But] we never panic in house. You can’t do this type of work if you’re going to panic and you’ve got to be really strategic, really aligned in how we work it and you have to be calm in those moments because that’s where mistakes happen.

“If you start becoming frantic and disconnected, you’re going to start making some poor selections and some poor economic selections and that’s where you get the damage moving forward. But that’s ultimately the difficulty of the job, isn’t it? To stay calm in those moments and to try and make the right decisions.

“Sometimes those tough decisions are saying no to things that, externally, people might perceive to be good but, internally, we know they’re not going to be good and they’re not going to work and that’s the difficult thing because naturally we want supporters to be proud about what’s going on.

“We want them to be excited by the transfer window and new players and the squad evolving. We can’t do that at the expense of actually getting better, if that makes sense.”

Sunderland have certainly had to say ‘no’ to things in this transfer window – notably in their pursuit of adding what Michael Beale described as ‘grey hairs’ in the final third, whilst they have also had to deal with ‘no’ themselves.  Ultimately, the vindication of the club’s actions over the course of the last 32 days will come to the fore in the final 17 Championship games, the first of which comes at the Riverside in the Tees-Wear derby on Sunday.

Here, though, We Are Sunderland takes a closer look at Sunderland’s transfer window and what transpired.

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New year, new beginnings. That felt as though it could be the case after Nazariy Rusyn slid in Sunderland’s second goal of the game against Preston North End on their way to a 2-0 win at the Stadium of Light on New Year’s Day. Ruysn’s strike was the first scored by any of Sunderland’s four summer striker recruits this season – Mason Burstow’s goal in the recent win over Stoke City the only other by one of the club’s summer forward acquisitions.

If Sunderland were going to see the fruits of their recruitment labour, it felt as though that would be the moment to light to blue-touch paper, so to speak. Yet Rusyn was consigned to almost a non-contest in the Wear-Tyne derby with Newcastle United six days later before being left out of the starting line-up against Ipswich Town, stifling any potential momentum.

It was back to the drawing board for Beale and Sunderland, who knew the demand to bring in a recognised centre-forward in the January window - Burstow’s first goal of his loan spell from Chelsea offering little in the way of shifting that focus in the final week. Bournemouth’s Kieffer Moore was a name linked consistently throughout the window but what was always evident was that Sunderland would face significant competition for his signature were he to leave the Vitality Stadium.

Speakman acknowledged a ‘slow market’ heading into the final seven days despite a number of their rivals, the likes of Ipswich and Hull City, making some advances in the window.

Sunderland’s back-to-back defeats to both of those teams in mid-January, with one of those January signings in Fabio Carvalho scoring, saw attentions from supporters shift from the lack of transfer activity as they vented frustrations towards new head coach Beale who had to ride out what felt like a category five hurricane heading into the meeting with Stoke where, mercifully, he was able to stem the tide with Sunderland’s best performance since his appointment in December.

Incomings, however, remained somewhat on the backburner after the saga regarding Pritchard came to the fore. Pritchard had been keen to ensure his long-term future, whether that be at the Stadium of Light or elsewhere, with a multi-year contract – something Sunderland were unwilling to offer both last summer and in January with a one-year extension being what arrived on the table. Pritchard’s back-and-forth with the club has been well-documented in recent days as things came to a head prior to the Championship fixture with Stoke where he declared himself unavailable.

Speakman was left in the unenviable position of retaining a player who no longer wanted to be at the club or try and negotiate a fee for a player who could leave on a free six-months down the line. Pritchard’s move did not force Speakman’s hand into allowing the 30-year-old to leave for nothing, however, as a deal was struck with Birmingham some 36-hours prior to the deadline. Pritchard completed a medical on Wednesday before being confirmed by Birmingham early on transfer deadline day as Sunderland negotiated what was described as a ‘suitable conclusion’ for all parties.

Taking to social media on Thursday afternoon, Pritchard wrote: "Dear Sunderland fans, staff and team-mates.

"I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to the amazing fans, dedicated staff and everyone associated with the club. Your unwavering support and passion have meant the world to me and I am truly grateful for the unforgettable moments we've shared.

"I am immensely proud of the part I have played in our promotion and the exhilarating experiences of competing in the Championship. These moments will forever hold a place in my heart and I will cherish them for the rest of my career.

"At this point in my career, stability and security are paramount, so I had to explore other avenues in the best interests for my career.

"Once again, I want to express my deepest thanks to each and every one of you for your incredible support and the unforgettable journey we've shared. I will always look back on my time at Sunderland with fondness and pride. I wish you nothing but success for the future."

Pritchard’s exit was one which, in the end, felt necessary, but it still left Sunderland with work to do in the window, with Leeds defender Hjelde the only arrival heading into the final 24-hours. The deal for Hjelde was not as straightforward as the club had initially hoped with a loan deal understood to be the preferred option. But Sunderland’s injury concerns at left-back meant it became a priority position this window, with Hjelde housing plenty of potential having previously been with the likes of Celtic and Rosenborg prior to his move to Elland Road.

Hjelde’s arrival opened the door for Triantis to head out on loan – another deal which was finalised on deadline day despite We Are Sunderland understanding interest in the Australian from Hibernian earlier in the window. Speakman cited the move to Hibs as a ‘unique opportunity’ for Triantis, with opportunities limited at the Stadium of Light behind Dan Ballard, Luke O’Nien, Jenson Seelt and now Hjelde.

Similar can be said of Bennette who joined Greek Super League side Aris until the end of the season. Sunderland, it’s understood, were keen to remove themselves from any potential option-to-buy in the loan agreement with the Costa Rican still held in quite high accord at the club as suggested by Beale who revealed his excitement to We Are Sunderland about the prospect of Bennette’s return in pre-season.

"Jewi is a player that I’ve got a lot of hope for in the future if I’m honest, but he’s got a need to play," Beale said.

“I came in and the boy was probably looking to get a loan to give himself some regular football. But, come pre-season, Jewi will be back in the building.

“I’ve seen a lot that I like with Jewi so he’s a player for the future for us, for sure. It's not a loan to send someone away, it’s a loan to allow someone to play and get some oxygen to build up his confidence again.”

Sunderland’s policy, in the main, was to replace players who have been attached to the first-team environment this season – Diamond’s situation differing given his need for exposure back in football. Bennette’s exit opened up space in a wide area which saw the club capitalise on former Tottenham youngster Mundle’s availability.

Mundle joined Belgian Pro League side Standard Liege in the summer as he became the latest English prospect to challenge himself in Europe. But the Belgian outfit have found themselves in financial difficulties of late after they were placed under a transfer embargo in December with the club running at continued losses and increasing debts. It led to Mundle’s availability, with the 20-year-old struggling to break into the starting line-up at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne having made just seven appearances since his move in July.

Speakman alluded to his surprise at Mundle being available on a permanent basis and was keen to strike a deal with the move advancing swiftly on Wednesday. Sunderland are understood to have paid around £2million for Mundle, with the club set to consider the 20-year-old as a long-term replacement for Jack Clarke ahead of his likely exit in the summer.

The signing of Mundle makes plenty of sense to Sunderland, but it can be argued he is another player not necessarily for the here and now given Clarke remained on Wearside. That in itself is perhaps Speakman’s greatest triumph in January. Clarke has continued to draw interest since the summer with as many as six Premier League clubs believed to have registered their interest in the winger last month before late approaches made by Champions League outfit Lazio – both of which were knocked back. Clarke and his representatives are understood to have remained steadfast in the situation as the club remained unmoved over their stance in retaining the 23-year-old until the end of the season.

“Look, I get the nervousness around selling players, I really do,” said Speakman. “There’s players there who we all love, both internally and externally. But our ambition is to retain our best players.

“I can never sit and say a player is never going to leave because if Real Madrid phoned up and say there’s a lot of commas around these zeros then everyone would have to consider it. I think we’ve got to try and ensure the fans that the ownership have got the best intentions around trying to build a team we can keep improving and that if the method behind it was to sell, we’d have already sold loads of players. We’ve had loads of opportunities to sell talent. I’d like people to take comfort in the fact that hasn’t happened on too many occasions.”

Clarke remaining part of Beale’s squad for the final 17 games of the season in undoubtedly a huge boost with the former Leeds man having contributed 16 goals and assists so far this season. Those are numbers Mundle will be keen to keep an eye on before being handed the torch further down the line when Clarke does move on.

A centre-back and a winger, however, did not necessarily hit the remit of the transfer window for Speakman and the club’s recruitment team as far as supporters were concerned; a striker and a combative defensive midfielder the two key targets - the arrival of Styles in the final 30 minutes of the window doing little to alleviate those desires.

The deal for Styles is another which did not play out initially as first anticipated. The versatile midfielder had been tipped to complete his move to the Stadium of Light on loan ahead of the final week of the window before the deal hit a snag, as confirmed by We Are Sunderland, which has since been revealed as an illness with the Hungarian undergoing minor surgery prior to the move to remove his appendix. Styles complements the likes of Dan Neil and Pierre Ekwah well, having gained plenty of Championship experience with Barnsley and Millwall in recent years, but there is a case to be made for Styles being a similar profile to the midfielders already in place at the Stadium of Light as opposed to a more natural, defensive-minded, player. Given Sunderland were unable to acquire that defensive midfielder it makes the decision to allow Matete to head out on loan a little more questionable – despite his need for games having suffered a lengthy injury lay-off since pre-season.

But it was in attack where the biggest clamour for recruitment was, given the lack of impact made by the four summer signings up front. Sunderland’s pursuit of Moore went down to the final few hours of the window before they were forced to concede that approach due to the finances involved.

Moore’s substitute appearance in the Premier League defeat to Liverpool hinted that Bournemouth were willing to retain the Welshman’s services beyond the deadline before their interest spiked in Getafe’s Turkish striker, Enes Unal. Ipswich held the financial cards whilst Cardiff City held the sentimental value of a reunion with Moore who left South Wales two years ago. It left Sunderland third in the race, despite having invested a significant amount of their focus on the 31-year-old.

Reports suggest Ipswich were able to negotiate a loan deal which incorporated Kieran McKenna’s side picking up a sizeable portion of Moore’s Premier League wage packet – something which is understood would have accelerated Sunderland’s wage structure beyond where Speakman and co were willing to go – particularly for a player over the age of 30.

Moore’s lack of involvement in Bournemouth’s squad for their 1-1 draw with West Ham United in the Premier League on Thursday suggested the striker was to head out on loan with Ipswich confirming the deal soon after. With Sunderland unwilling to bend their contractual approach for Pritchard either in the summer or throughout January, it meant they were unlikely to break over a deal for Moore either, despite the acknowledgement of needing to invest in a ready-made centre-forward.

Sunderland were also, at times, drawn in by the romanticism of a potential return of Amad Diallo from Manchester United. The club retained a significant interest in the Ivorian throughout the summer following the end of his hugely successful loan spell last season before the 21-year-old picked up a significant knee injury in pre-season. Amad had been tipped to remain at Old Trafford in the summer anyway, but the injury ruled out even the slight hope of any possible loan deal at that juncture.

His return in December, but lack of involvement, offered renewed ideas a deal may not be completely off the table with Amad himself only interested in a loan back to the Stadium of Light if he was to be sent out to the Championship. Reports in the final week of the window suggesting the winger had asked for a move back to Wearside were quickly shut down with his inclusion in Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United squad to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday drawing a line under the saga, where he was again an unused substitute.

A deal for Amad was always unlikely, whether there was an element of blind faith or not, and yet had a deal been negotiated, as impressive and significant as it may have been, it still wouldn’t have filled one of the areas in need of addressing. With both Moore and Amad deals off, late reports linked Sunderland with a move for Burnley’s Manuel Benson – who had been enquired about by Middlesbrough 24-hours before the deadline, but the winger is believed to have been keen to remain at Turf Moor, which ended up being the case. Notts County’s Macauley Langstaff is another who Sunderland were aware of in the window but never really firmed up that stance – Langstaff, it’s understood, was on the verge of completing a deal to Derby County before things stalled and Paul Warne’s side turned to Charlton Athletic’s Corey Blackett-Taylor. Langstaff, at that point it’s believed, was left pushing more for a move to hometown club Middlesbrough – a move which never materialised.

The clock struck 11pm and there was still time for young Spanish forward Mayenda to head out on loan to Hibernian, a move which, you could argue, leaves Sunderland shorter in attack than they were heading into the transfer window with the onus now on Rusyn, Burstow and Luis Hemir to ignite in the remaining three months of the season.

It culminates in a familiar feeling for Sunderland of perhaps just not being quite ready in the here and now. Sunderland were a competitive team heading into the window with regards to the top-six, and they remain a competitive team heading out of it. But there’s a lingering sense that, come the end of the season in May, there will be a ‘what could have been’ narrative – similar to the ones written both 12 and five months ago after the last two transfer windows closed.

The three new arrivals undoubtedly complement Sunderland’s squad, but there is also a case to be made as to whether any of the three fit into Beale’s starting line-up at the present time when everyone is fit - a brief We Are Sunderland poll following the closing of the window revealing 77 per cent were 'unsatisfied' with the business - albeit a very small sample size.

The pursuit of a striker was difficult across the board for clubs in the Championship, with many coming up short in their endeavours. But Sunderland have urgently needed a Ross Stewart replacement since his injury a week before last January’s deadline. They needed a defensive midfielder to compete with and eventually succeed Corry Evans prior to his injury. They are areas still to be addressed.

There is a fine balance in the club’s latest recruitment from being ready for the here and now to go on and challenge for the play-offs in the rest of the campaign and keeping one eye on the future with progression planning. But after two months of relative turbulence at the Stadium of Light both on and off the field, the conclusion of the transfer window will only add to that as everybody waits for the evidence of success to show.