£9k-a-week Sunderland AFC player will surely leave now - he is 12 months into potential 4-year deal | OneFootball

Ian Poveda's long-term move to the Stadium of Light already looks in jeopardy

Whilst Sunderland supporters will continue to bask in the glory of promotion to the Premier League, the North East club have plenty of potentially brutal decisions to mull over in the coming weeks.

During his first season in the English game, Regis Le Bris was the subject of immense praise for his management of the Championship's youngest squad by average age, which saw them be a part of an initial four-way automatic promotion race, before tactically outwitting both Frank Lampard and Chris Wilder in the play-offs.

Many neutrals have also expressed their delight in seeing the Black Cats end their eight-year exile from the top-flight, which included a four-season spell in League One, although the hierarchy and their French boss certainly have plenty of work to do in order to bridge the gap between themselves and the sides currently established among the elite.

None of the previous six sides who have tasted the joys of promotion from the second-tier have been able to do so, with the likes of Ian Wright recently believing the gap between the EFL and Premier League will only increase further, despite the fact Sunderland banked at least £220m as a result of their victory in North London.

It remains to be seen what transfer activity will take place at the Stadium of Light in the coming weeks. However, promotion could spell the end of the road for Ian Poveda, just 12 months into his long-term deal.

Ian Poveda transfer hasn't worked for Sunderland AFC despite promotion

Poveda was of interest to many second-tier sides just 12 months ago, having enjoyed a relatively successful loan stint at Sheffield Wednesday during the second-half of the 2023/24 season, aiding the Owls' 'Great Escape' act under Danny Rohl.

Therefore, a move to Wearside on a three-year deal with the option of an extra year generated plenty of intrigue, with Sunderland known as a hotbed for developing homegrown talents or furthering the careers of exciting prospects.

However, despite the success enjoyed on the pitch by Le Bris' side, the season has been a total disaster as far as the former Leeds United and two-time Colombian international is concerned, making just six appearances which all came in the league, as well as none coming from the starting XI.

It was then revealed in February by the Frenchman that Poveda had been dropped altogether from the matchday squad due to "internal reasons," with it being reported that the 25-year-old was late for a team gathering ahead of the 2-0 win over Luton Town on February 12th.

Despite a four-minute cameo against his former club in the following game, there was no way back for the former Manchester City academy graduate for the remainder of the season, being named on the bench in a 1-0 defeat to Hull City on February 22nd, before being dropped from the matchday squad entirely as the Black Cats ended the season in the most dramatically joyous fashion thanks to Tommy Watson's 95th-minute goal under the Wembley arch.

According to ESTIMATED figures from Capology, the wide man is said to be earning £9,000 per week in the North East, which amounts to a collective sum of £1,404,000 over the length of his aforementioned lengthy contract.

Whilst the Black Cats will bank a hefty sum of money for winning the most lucrative game in football, they still cannot afford to go gung-ho in the transfer market, and adding as much to their transfer kitty and limiting deadwood on the club's wage bill is imperative.

Having had next-to-no impact following his free transfer, as well as making just 14 appearances in the Premier League previously, it would take a dramatic turn of events for Poveda to be reintegrated into Sunderland's plans, making a summer departure a no-brainer for all parties, as the London-born man looks to reignite his career.