Sunderland: Dan Neil and Jack Clarke situations will be on Regis Le Bris’ mind | OneFootball

Sunderland manager, Regis Le Bris, will be looking to resolve Dan Neil and Jack Clarke situations before making moves in the transfer market.

Sunderland's new head coach, Regis Le Bris, may have only been in charge of the team for a week, but he already faces two key decisions ahead of the 2024/25 season.

Following a dismal second half to their last campaign, the Black Cats fell well short of their promotion ambitions and finished the season in a mediocre 16th place.

Despite their poor finish, the North East club possesses a handful of top talent, who Premier League clubs will have their eyes on. The club are sure to face a busy summer transfer window, with speculation rife over who may leave the club.

Le Bris will undoubtedly be aiming to put his stamp on the team over the summer and must decide on the fate of his star players. Indeed, he will need to resolve these issues before pressing on in the transfer market.

With the transfer window now open, we take a look at the two situations which the Frenchman must address.

Dan Neil

Boyhood Sunderland supporter, Dan Neil, recently cast his future into doubt by turning down a fresh contract offer at The Stadium of Light.

The 22-year-old currently has two years remaining on his current contract, which is due to expire in June 2026.

While Neil turned down the initial contract offer, it is believed that progress could be made over the summer. Along with Chris Rigg, who signed his first professional contract last week, a major factor in any decision revolved around Sunderland's manager search. With Le Bris now in charge, fresh contract talks are inevitable.

The South Shields-born central midfielder was one of Sunderland's top performers last season, in what was an otherwise disappointing campaign. Neil made 42 appearances for the Black Cats last season, scoring four goals.

He is a natural leader within the team and orchestrates play through the heart of Sunderland's midfield. He has consistently been one of Sunderland's best players over the last few seasons, and they will be desperate to keep hold of him.

Due to his consistency, it is no surprise that Neil has his admirers in the Premier League. Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham have all previously been linked with the young midfielder.

Jack Clarke

If it wasn't for Jack Clarke, then Sunderland easily could have been dragged into a relegation battle last season.

Sunderland's player of the year finished the season with 15 goals and 4 assists - a career-high goal tally for the 23-year-old winger. His influence over the team has grown season by season, and as a result, he has become the Black Cats' most prized asset.

However, it was reported that the former Leeds United and Tottenham man refused to put pen to paper on signing a new contract and has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Clarke, like Neil, also has two years left on his contract at The Stadium of Light, which runs out in 2026. With this in mind, Sunderland are in a strong position when it comes to selling.

Sunderland fans were expecting Clarke to leave for the Premier League before the window shuts, but Le Bris has offered some hope that the winger could stay at Sunderland.

In a recent press conference, the new boss outlined that the club want to keep hold of their top players, including Clarke, but made no guarantee that they would do so.

With only two years left on the Sunderland duo's contracts, now would be the ideal time to cash in as their value will inevitably decrease this time next year.