2026-27 Premier League Preview No. 19: Sunderland
Predicted position from the writers: 14th (Note: this ranking reflects the average forecast from the panel rather than Louise Taylor’s individual view)
Previous season’s position: 7th
Prospects
Following a seventh-place finish last season, Sunderland begin the new campaign with European football on their schedule for the first time since their short-lived Cup Winners’ Cup appearance in 1973-74. The main question is whether the remarkable progress achieved under Régis Le Bris can continue or whether the club will struggle with the familiar challenges of a second season at this level.
Although Sunderland’s expected-goals figures from last season were often associated with relegation form, the broader context should not be overlooked. A developing squad lost six players to the Africa Cup of Nations during the winter, while none of its most important performers has departed this summer. Morale remains excellent, and the team’s displays in pre-season have offered plenty of encouragement. Le Bris acknowledges that Thursday night fixtures will test a club that was competing in League One as recently as 2022, but he believes the experience should be embraced rather than approached with anxiety.
Sunderland also continue to benefit from captain Granit Xhaka’s authority in midfield. His decision to remain at the Stadium of Light, despite strong interest from Chelsea, provided a major pre-season boost. Further confidence comes from a flexible squad featuring accomplished players such as supporters’ favourite Enzo Le Fée, Chris Rigg, Robin Roefs, Noah Sadiki and Nordi Mukiele, several of whom can operate in multiple roles. Brian Brobbey, meanwhile, is a powerful centre-forward capable of making life difficult for opposing defenders. “We are developing as a group,” says Le Bris. “We have demonstrated the strength of this team.”
Chart illustrating Sunderland’s finishing positions across the previous five seasons
Off-field picture
Sunderland’s majority shareholder is Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, a 29-year-old Swiss-French businessman and billionaire heir. The son of former Marseille owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus controls 64% of the club, with the other 36% belonging to Uruguayan businessman and politician Juan Sartori. A productive working relationship between Le Bris and football director Florent Ghisolfi has supported stability on the pitch. Behind the scenes, however, the past year has featured significant changes, including the replacement of several senior executives as the club adopts a more internationally focused commercial strategy. Sunderland toured the United States during the summer, while additional promotional activity has targeted Africa. A valuable but disputed shirt sponsorship agreement with Visit Ghana is reportedly close to completion. Closer to home, redevelopment around the Stadium of Light continues to reshape the surrounding former industrial area.
Owner-fan relationship
Louis-Dreyfus faced some doubt and mistrust when he assumed control in 2021, but he has gradually gained the confidence of Sunderland supporters. Fans were especially encouraged by his personal involvement in persuading Xhaka to leave Bayer Leverkusen for the club last summer. However, the growing emphasis on corporate hospitality and the introduction of a controversial membership system have divided season-ticket holders.
The manager
Le Bris likes to spend part of the summer surfing along the coast of his native Brittany, making the wave of momentum he enjoyed last season particularly fitting. After winning the 2025 Championship playoffs, his side adapted quickly to the Premier League and maintained its form throughout the campaign. Sunderland also asserted themselves against Newcastle, with Le Bris masterminding two league victories over their local rivals. The 50-year-old holds a doctorate in physiology and biomechanics, as well as a qualification in the psychological preparation of elite athletes. Before becoming Lorient’s first-team manager in 2022, he spent 10 years building a strong reputation within the club’s academy. His interest in trigonometry influences a tactical approach based heavily on creating and using triangles across the pitch.
Star signing
Sunderland were unable to recruit Thomas Meunier from Lille last year, but their persistence has now paid off. At the time of writing, the 34-year-old free agent is their only summer arrival, a notable difference from the 14 players added a year earlier, although at least two further signings are anticipated before the transfer deadline. Meunier has represented Belgium 83 times and appeared at the World Cup. He will challenge Mukiele and Trai Hume for the right-back position, while the experience gained during spells with Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund could be especially valuable in the Europa League.
Stat attack
Based solely on the expected-points model, Sunderland would have dropped out of the division last season. Instead, they secured a place in the Europa League after ending the campaign 11 positions higher than their underlying expected-goals data suggested. Across Europe’s five leading leagues, no club recorded a larger difference, positive or negative, between its statistical performance and final result.
Comparison of each team’s final standing with the position indicated by underlying statistics
Set for a breakthrough
Tom Proctor, whose father is Sunderland first-team coach and former striker Michael Proctor, is just 17 and entering his second season as an academy scholar. He joined the senior squad for its pre-season tour of the United States and caught the eye with his technique, intelligence and finishing ability. European commitments are likely to place additional pressure on the squad, so Proctor, who entered Sunderland’s academy at six years old, could make his competitive first-team debut during the campaign.
World Cup impact
Sunderland sent 12 players to the World Cup, a larger contingent than Real Madrid, and the club’s commercial executives welcomed the increased global exposure. Wilson Isidor registered Haiti’s first goal at the tournament since 1974, while Brobbey scored three times for the Netherlands. Meunier, who appeared for Belgium in the United States, has subsequently joined that internationally experienced group.
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