Sunderland trio set for transfer exits as Regis Le Bris plans squad cutdown
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has confirmed that there will be numerous departees from the Stadium of Light, with Jay Matete, Luis Semedo and Jewison Bennette all set to move on in the coming weeks.
The Mackems have possessed the Championship’s youngest squad via average age metrics for the last two seasons after returning to the division from League One in 2022, with a philosophy of recruiting young talent predominantly from overseas and at a low cost essential to the strategy deployed by Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman.
While Sunderland achieved an impressive top six finish in their first season back in the Championship, a whole host of factors such as injuries, inconsistency and managerial turbulence alongside the departures of Amad Diallo and Ross Stewart after 2022/23 saw them fall to 16th last term – just six points above the drop zone.
New boss Le Bris has inherited a thin squad in certain regards, with the notable shortage of established striker options a real sticking point among supporters and a significant call of duty that the Frenchman will be urged to address before the window closes at the end of August.
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‘I’d love to fight him’ – Ex-Sunderland player’s extraordinary admission about Paolo Di Canio and Kevin Ball
Phil Bardsley has admitted that he would “love to fight” former boss Paolo Di Canio and has revealed talks with Misfits boxing.
The ex-Sunderland man also revealed that Kevin Ball helped keep him at the club until the arrival of Gus Poyet after a major falling out with Di Canio back when the club was scrapping for survival in the Premier League.
Bardsley, a former Scottish international, came up through the ranks at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson before moving to Sunderland on a permanent deal during the 2007-08 season for an initial fee of £850,000.
The Salford-born right-back stayed at the Stadium of Light for seven campaigns before moving to Stoke City and then to Burnley. The full-back became a free agent following the Clarets’ relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2021-22 campaign. The full-back then enjoyed a short stint at Stockport County before retiring last year.
Bardsley’s time at Sunderland overlapped with the arrival of fiery Italian manager Di Canio, who was appointed at the Stadium of Light in 2013. The former Celtic man guided the Black Cats to a memorable 3-0 win at Newcastle United and also helped keep the club in the Premier League.
However, Bardsley was frozen out under Di Canio after an incident at a casino where he was pictured lying on the floor surrounded by £50 notes towards the back end of the season, a situation that infuriated Di Canio, who tried to freeze Bardsley out of the club.
The former Manchester United man also caught the attention of national newspapers when video footage emerged of Bardsley and Wayne Rooney engaging in a boxing fight following a night out. The England legend was knocked down to the floor by Bardsley in 2015, prompting headlines around the world.
Asked if he would consider boxing on a Misfits celebrity boxing show, Bardsley said: “I had a few calls a few months back. Benty (Darren Bent) rang me in (Andy) Goldstein on the drive, and they put it on me. I actually had a few calls that week about doing the misfits.
“I’d never say no to it. I think it’d be good because it’d give you a reason to train. I don’t need a reason, but obviously something to get really fit for instead of just ticking over in the morning.”
When asked who he would like to fight, Bardsley responded: “I don’t know.” When former Sunderland boss Di Canio was suggested, Bardsley then added: “I’d love to fight him. I hate that fella.”
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