Sunderland AFC: Lee Johnson's "top talent" claim after Tottenham deal has finally come good | OneFootball

Sunderland's left-back has been one of the club's top performers this season, having overcome a string of injury setbacks.

When Sunderland signed Dennis Cirkin from Tottenham Hotspur in 2021, the left-back came in for substantial praise from manager Lee Johnson.

Fans would have been lying if they had said they knew a lot about the then 19-year-old, considering he had never made a senior appearance for the North London side.

Johnson, on the other hand, seemed convinced of the defender's qualities when speaking to the club's official website.

He said: "To get a player of Dennis' quality at 19 speaks wonders in terms of what we're trying to do. He is a top talent, and he's very highly regarded within the game."

Cirkin showed his early promise for Sunderland in League One

Clearly excited about his potential, Johnson threw Cirkin straight into his side at the start of the 2021/22 League One season, with the defender making his league debut in a 2-1 win over MK Dons.

The left-back enjoyed an early run in the side and showed his attacking prowess by picking up two assists in his opening nine games.

However, at the end of November, the teenager missed seven successive league matches due to a hernia, which required surgery. Little did he know this would become a feature of his stint on Wearside.

Despite the injury setback, Cirkin recovered and regained his position as Sunderland's primary left-back, helping them to achieve promotion via the play-offs.

Injuries plagued Cirkin's development at Sunderland

Sunderland surprised many during their first term back in the Championship, in a campaign that culminated in a play-off semi-final loss to Luton Town.

In a season that was constantly disrupted by injuries, Cirkin still managed to make a significant impact in red and white. The left-back showed his abilities at both ends of the pitch and finished the season with five goals and an assist.

A telling trait about the defender was his willingness to put his body on the line, which was summed up by his concussion injury sustained against Millwall. The teenager was knocked unconscious but played in three games before experiencing dizzy spells.

2023/24 summed up the Black Cats' luck and Cirkin's, as he was limited to just eight appearances after a season-ending hamstring injury in November.

Cirkin fulfilling Johnson's early praise this season

This campaign was always going to be a crucial one for Cirkin, considering he had not made a senior appearance for around nine months.

Cirkin wasted no time in reminding Sunderland supporters of his ability with an emphatic performance in the Black Cats' opening game of the season against Cardiff City.

The left-back was sensational from start to finish and displayed his natural ability to defend and bomb forward whenever necessary. Furthermore, he capped off his return to action with a neat assist, setting up Luke O'Nien for a headed goal.

Since the Wearsiders' opening day victory, the defender has played every single minute of Sunderland's Championship campaign to date. What is more pleasing, is the consistency of his performances, which have caught the unwanted eyes of Leeds United (Sunday Mirror 10/11, p69).

In Regis Le Bris' system, the 22-year-old is a monster and has been the best left-back in the division this season. If he can maintain fitness, then he will surely be a contender for Sunderland's player of the season.

Cirkin's journey with Sunderland has been nothing short of remarkable when you consider the stop-start nature of his career. The left-back has lived up to Johnson's words and more, proving that he is an exceptional talent.