The 3 Sunderland AFC players who surely want to escape the Stadium of Light from June | OneFootball

We selected 3 players who will surely want out of Sunderland in the summer.

Sunderland have been on an exciting journey under new manager Regis Le Bris, but there are a handful of players who will want to leave the club this summer, regardless of the division they’re in next season.

The Black Cats are in the mix to return to the Premier League after an almost decade-long absence from England’s top flight. Le Bris has revolutionised the Wearside outfit and set them up for what looks to be a play-off campaign at a minimum.

Despite some poor results in recent weeks, including a 3-0 defeat at the hands of play-off rivals Coventry City, Sunderland look like they have the skeleton of a promotion-winning squad. However, some players currently at the club may not fit those plans.

There has been plenty of speculation regarding the future of young stars such as Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham, but the Black Cats won’t want to even think of losing them now.

We’ve picked out a few Sunderland players who will surely be looking to move on from the former Premier League side, regardless of the division they find themselves in next season.

Nazariy Rusyn

One man who was the topic of conversation before the January transfer window is Nazariy Rusyn. The Ukrainian striker was struggling for game time at the Stadium of Light, thanks to the electric form of Eliezer Mayenda and Wilson Isidor. This saw him depart the club on loan mid-season.

The 26-year-old linked up with Croatian side Hajduk Split on a loan deal until the end of the season. Rusyn was unable to break into the first team at Sunderland, and his start to life in Croatia has been poor. The Ukrainian failed to hit the net in his first six matches for the club.

Given the trajectory of his loan spell and the struggles Rusyn has faced with his parent club. It seems highly unlikely the former Dynamo Kyiv star will find minutes consistently on Wearside when he returns. A permanent move away might be the best bet for all parties.

Joe Anderson

Surely the summer is the perfect time for defender Joe Anderson to depart the Stadium of Light on a permanent deal. It’s been two seasons since the centre-back last adorned the famous red and white stripes, with a loan spell at Shrewsbury Town being his only experience of consistent first-team football.

The 24-year-old has been playing in the Premier League 2 this season, as no move, loan or permanent, has materialised for Anderson sadly. At his age, the centre-back will be eager to play senior football, rather than be in Sunderland’s youth side.

A towering physical presence, there will undoubtedly be plenty of EFL clubs looking at Anderson as an option in the summer. If he wants to find more minutes to develop, the summer would be the right time for him to move on.

Jenson Seelt

Another towering young defender struggling for minutes at Sunderland this season is Jenson Seelt. The Dutchman arrived at the Stadium of Light in the summer of 2023 but was dealt a huge blow last March when he injured his ACL, which saw him spend ten months on the sidelines.

Since his return to fitness, the 21-year-old has struggled to break into the first team and has become somewhat of a forgotten man for the Black Cats. It’s a real shame to see him struggling for minutes, having been brought to the club two years ago as a highly-rated prospect from PSV Eindhoven.

Seelt might be keen to explore his options in the summer if the lack of minutes continues. The centre-back publicly thanked Le Bris for his support during a gruelling ten months out, but playing consistently will be a top priority for Seelt to get back into his groove. If Sunderland still see him as one for the future, a loan move could be a sensible option for both parties.