Managing sunderland - henderson returns as ideal summer transfers predicted

Sunderland's players may be jetting off around the globe for some much earned down time after securing promotion back to the Premier League, but work is well underway at the Academy of

Light in preparation for next season. The Black Cats' Wembley triumph is just about starting to sink in and supporters are under no illusion the enormity of the task ahead of them.

After eight years away and the growing gulf from the Championship to the Premier League, the club hierarchy will likely be given some grace this season, no matter what pans out. That being

said, the club must get this summer transfer window right to give themselves the best chance of remaining in the top flight. Here CHRONICLELIVE looks at some of the big calls we'd like

to see Sunderland make in the upcoming weeks. JORDAN HENDERSON RETURNS This is an absolute no brainer. Bringing Jordan Henderson back to the Stadium of Light would not only be a huge PR open

goal, but he's won it all since leaving the Black Cats as a 20-year-old. After all, he was at Wembley watching his boyhood club win promotion and who wouldn't want to be a part of

that? Of course, at 34-years-old, some supporters have questioned if he still has the legs to cut it in the top flight, while others say the signing would go against the current recruitment

model. However, we saw last summer how the signings of Simon Moore, Chris Mepham and Alan Browne added some much needed experience to the squad, Henderson's return would do the same.

You need only look at the glowing appraisal from England boss Thomas Tuchel regarding his return to the international fold. The German boss said: "Once you speak to Jordan, it’s such an

obvious choice. If you have a training exercise in different groups, and then the group where Jordan is, you can just turn your back, you don’t need to watch because he will take care of

all the standards in this group. "You don’t need to take care of this group, because he takes care of this group. Jordan takes care of standards, Jordan sets the standards. He’s vocal,

he’s a natural leader, and the others follow, so he has this kind of ability and that’s why he’s with us, because he’s doing this in a very impressive way. "He’s still playing on a

decent level, and that’s why there was never a thought to drop him." Of course, the finances need to be right, but you'd back both parties to come to an agreement. JOBE TRANSFER

DECISION This is perhaps the most important decision for Sunderland to get right early doors. Jobe Bellingham has already held talks with a number of Bundesliga clubs, with Eintracht

Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund at the front of the queue to sign the England youth international. However, Black Cats' owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is hopeful of keeping the 19-year-old

at the Stadium of Light this season. In one breath, it would be good to finally see a Bellingham play in the Premier League, but on the other hand, the media scrutiny he would come under

would likely be heightened due to his family name. There's an interesting debate to be had here and probably one for an article in itself. Does Jobe follow in his brother's

footsteps to Dortmund, away from the Premier League spotlight but in turn contradicting claims that he wants to be his own man? As we know from speaking to the player and watching him week

in, week out, he's far better than the accusations that are leveled at him for being where he is because of his brother. They're unjust and simply untrue. We'd love to see

Jobe give the top flight a crack, but with Sunderland needing to rebuild, it's understandable why they're open to talks if it means bringing in a number of signings off the back of

his departure. Supporters would bear no ill-feeling towards the youngster if he does leave, but that isn't stopping them clinging on to that slight belief he may stay. KRISTJAAN

SPEAKMAN AND STUART HARVEY MAGIC Kristjaan Speakman has done an incredible job since arriving at Sunderland and stuck to his guns despite coming under immense pressure during the 2023/24

campaign. It's fine to say that the transfer windows in question were poor, but this season has been a huge improvement. The unsung hero, Stuart Harvey, Sunderland's chief scout,

was hard at work throughout the campaign coming up with a list of potential targets for this summer with two lists in mind. One for the Premier League, and another that is now redundant.

It's been impressive to see the duo reap the rewards at Wembley having worked under financial constraints. The Black Cats had by no means the biggest budget in the Championship, but not

the worst. The £19.3m obligation-to-buy for Enzo Le Fee has been triggered and it's the first real major signing under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus' ownership. It remains to be seen if

Sunderland will operate in a similar ball park this summer, with the caveat that the playmaker was well known to Le Bris from their time at Lorient. Supporters will have their fingers

crossed that Speakman will be able to work similar magic this summer, in theory with more money to play with, while still developing the young talent coming through the club. KEY CONTRACT

CALLS Sunderland will release their retained list for the upcoming campaign in the weeks to come, but have a number of key contract calls to make beyond this summer. Tying down Dan Neil to

fresh terms should be at the top of their priority list, not just because he has what it takes to play in the top flight, but also to fend off interested parties, with AS Roma the latest

club reportedly keen on his signature. The midfielder turned down new terms last summer amid the ongoing uncertainty about a head coach, prior to Le Bris' arrival. Dennis Cirkin is in a

similar position this summer, with both players heading into the final 12 months of their contract and the club are hoping to reach an agreement in the coming weeks and months.