How Sunderland’s stunning new-look £146m side could line up in 2026 - with Liverpool and Bundesliga targets

It stings losing a potential relegation six-pointer at Manchester United to finish the latest block of fixtures before the international break, but Sunderland are still flying high in the top half of the Premier League having defied even the most optimistic expectations in the 2025/26 season.

While their £162 million investment over the summer was praised, including in this parish, it was assumed that it would take time to mesh together so many additions to the starting lineup - eight of the eleven at Old Trafford arrived this summer.

And even once they did get firing, 15th looked like it’d be a fantastic potential finishing position, let alone 10th.

While Marc Guiu’s premature recall to Stamford Bridge looked like it could be a major blow, Wilson Isidor has proved that narrative wrong so far and sits joint-fifth in the Premier League scoring charts, Sunderland’s summer investment meaning they’re not short of depth across the board either.

Chris Rigg is the best visualisation of that - a future Premier League stalwart who has clocked less than 200 minutes so far - so there are only a few areas that Sunderland really must strengthen in. With that in mind, who could they sign?

Rumoured £52m centre-back upgrade for Sunderland

Centre-back has been the main area of January transfer buzz and to be honest, we’re a bit confused why. Just four teams have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season while Sunderland boast a better defensive record than Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Bournemouth.

They already invested heavily at the position over the summer and Dan Ballard, Nordi Mukiele, Omar Alderete and even Jenson Seelt have impressed so far while last season’s club captain Luke O’Nien is moving closer to his return from injury.

Regardless, the rumours persist and despite missing out on Bologna centre-back Jhon Lucumi in August, Sunderland have been backed to return for the 27-year-old Colombian in a few months’ time.

Lucumi has played in every game so far for Bologna who have a strong defensive record so far this season - only Roma and AC Milan, sat second and third in the table, have conceded less goals in Serie A - and he’s adept at bringing the ball out of defence and even beating a man before sending a pinpoint pass upfield.

Bologna were demanding £21.7m in the summer, while Liverpool reportedly want £25-30 million for Joe Gomez, which hasn’t stopped rumours linking him with the Stadium of Light.

Gomez has won every trophy possible at Anfield but he’s played less than a thousand minutes of football since the start of last season so Arne Slot is reportedly open to him moving on.

Though again, quite why Sunderland would invest over £50m on two centre-backs aged 27 and 28 when they’ve made such a strong defensive start to the season is a head-scratcher.

And as we alluded to at the top, perhaps Liverpool should be more interested in engineering a swap deal between Ballard and Virgil van Dijk instead given their struggles at the back.

Luca Netz improves long-term left-back outlook

In a Sunderland side that’s been packed with new Premier League cult heroes this season, left-back is the obvious position where the Black Cats are yet to impress.

Manchester United’s five biggest chances against Sunderland all came from that side, including both goals and Bruno Fernandes hitting the post, with Arthur Masuaku starting at left-back with Reinildo Mandava continuing to serve his suspension for that brainless red card against Aston Villa.

Both players turn 32 within the next four months too so Sunderland could use a younger option in that position and Borussia Monchengladbach’s 22-year-old Luca Netz fits the bill.

A headline writer’s dream, Luca nets sparingly - he’s scored four goals in 124 Bundesliga and DFB Pokal games - but he provides a creative spark down the left having made 17 goals over those same 124 games.

Indeed, no other full-back in Europe’s top five leagues has assisted as prolifically in the last year and defensively, only 3% of that group have managed a better rate of dribblers tackled than Netz either.

Only 5’11” tall, Netz is still proficient in the air too and his contract at Borussia-Park expires next season meaning The Prussians could be tempted by an offer of just £1-2m in January. It’s a move that would suit all parties as Sunderland would get immediate help and won’t have to fight a wage war next summer.

Sunderland 2026 starting XI if predictions come true: Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Lucumi, Netz; Xhaka, Diarra; Talbi, Le Fee, Adingra; Isidor.