Sunderland AFC simply must get promotion amid Crystal Palace transfer update | OneFootball

Sunderland's promotion push this year could make or break Régis Le Bris' team

Crystal Palace are reportedly prioritising a move for Jobe Bellingham this month amid an interest in three Sunderland stars.

According to TBR Football, the Eagles are also scouting Trai Hume and Chris Rigg, which further highlights the importance of promotion to the Black Cats this season.

All three are key figures for the Wearside outfit, with Régis Le Bris’ side chasing a place in the top flight.

Bellingham has four goals and three assists from 23 league appearances, while Hume has been superb from right-back, even providing two assists of his own this season.

It should come as no surprise to the club that their players are starting to attract such interest, especially when their entire model is built on buying young and selling for a profit once they earn a strong enough reputation.

But the opportunity to gain promotion would also give Sunderland the chance to hold onto some of their best talent for a further year and could end any hope Palace have in signing who they want from the Stadium of Light.

Impact of promotion to Sunderland

Sunderland have been outside of the Premier League since 2017, but have their sights set on a return in 2025 following a strong first half of the campaign.

Competition for a top two spot is stiff, with the likes of Sheffield United, Leeds United and Burnley joining them in a top four that is starting to pull away from the chasing pack.

All three of the other sides in that top four have been in the Premier League within the last two years, and will have better resources this January to potentially improve their sides.

For Sunderland, the focus will be on simply retaining what they already have, and this development around Crystal Palace won’t make that goal any easier.

The club must avoid selling any of their top players in January, unless an offer arrives that they absolutely cannot turn down, like £30 million for Bellingham as an example.

That they're in the hunt for a top two spot at all should help ease any concerns from the likes of Bellingham over not getting a move right now.

But a failure to secure a Premier League place this season will end any hopes the club have of keeping the 19-year-old, or even potentially Rigg and Hume.

The chance to play top flight football is one these players will want to pursue one way or the other, and the Black Cats have built a model that means they’ll have to sell in order to keep attracting top young talent in the future.

If Sunderland can offer that top flight football themselves, then it’s hard to imagine any of these players pushing for a move away from the Stadium of Light, unless a particularly notable opportunity arises, such as Arsenal or Real Madrid.

The stakes couldn’t be much higher for this team, as keeping it together beyond this season and competing in the top flight could have a huge impact on the club’s resources.

But if they fall just short, as they did in 2023 under Tony Mowbray, then they will be looking at a pretty big rebuild as any number of players could depart.

This report