Football Season Guide

Premier League
England
Premier League
2013/2014
Sunderland
Clean filter

Sunderland

In


Modibo Diakité (def), Lazio), Cabral (mid), Basel), Valentin Roberge (def), Maritimo), David Moberg Karlsson (att), IFK Gotteborg), Vito Mannone (gk), Arsenal), Jozy Altidore (att), AZ Alkmaar), El-Hadji Ba (mid), Le Havre), Emanuele Giaccherini (mid), Juventus), Dong-Won Ji (att), Augsburg - return from loan)

Out


Ryan Noble (att), Burnley), Titus Bramble (def), Matthew Kilgallon (def), Blackburn), Simon Mignolet (gk), Liverpool), Danny Graham (att), Hull - loan), Ahmed Elmohamady (def), Hull), Alfred N'Diaye (mid), Eskisehirspor - loan), James McClean (mid), Wigan), Kader Mangane (mid), Al-Hilal - end of loan), Danny Rose (def), Tottenham - end of loan)

Sunderland are aiming high once again this season after a busy and productive summer in which Paolo di Canio has managed to substantially overhaul and enhance the squad. The provocative Italian was brought in at the end of last season to keep the Black Cats clear of danger and they just about hang out to their top-flight status. It was a struggle and something that a team lavishing such big resources should not be going through. Di Canio had something of a free pass last season after coming in so late but the expectations and pressure are now definitely on him and Sunderland are a tough club to run when the locals are against you, as the once popular Martin O'Neill found out. Di Canio went abroad for his summer shopping and will hope that relative unknowns in England like Cabral, Modibo Diakhite, El-Hadji Ba and Valentin Roberge prove worthy signings. The two crown jewels in their summer recruitment are certainly former Juventus winger Emmanuele Giaccherini and Jozy Altidore. The former is too good a player for Sunderland, frankly, as he is an established regular for Italy and a player capable of making the difference down the left with his powerful surges and lateral running. Altidore may have struggled at Hull four seasons ago during a loan spell but he is a man on fire at the moment after scoring 38 goals for AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivise over the last two years. His confidence and powerful presence will be a big asset up front for a team that badly struggled for goals last season. Di Canio will be aiming to mould all these new players into a coherent side but question marks are prevailing at the moment and it is hard to ascertain whether Sunderland are genuinely a better side this season. The Italian is prone to aggravation with his own players and it is interesting to see how the dressing room will react to his disciplinarian tendencies. Yet, Di Canio also has nous and definite ability to motivate the group and it should definitely be a better season for the Black Cats and a place in mid-table seems most probable.

Target


Chasing a place in mid-table and should be able to get it after the extensive summer transfer campaign.