Sunderland have agreed long-term contracts with several members of their first-team squad over the last year – with plenty more decisions to be made in the next 12 months.
The Black Cats have announced which players will be leaving the club at the end of their deals this summer, with Corry Evans, Bradley Dack and Ellis Taylor set to depart.
Since the end of the 2022/23 season, Trai Hume, Dennis Cirkin, Luke O’Nien, Dan Ballard, Patrick Roberts, Anthony Patterson and Aji Alese have all penned new deals on Wearside. It means only three first-team players are heading into the final year of their current contract this summer. Here are the players whose deals are set to end in the summer of 2025 and their situations.
There has been interest from top-flight clubs, including Newcastle, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, yet Sunderland hope the chance to play senior football will convince the teenager to stay on Wearside.
Rigg was only able to sign a two-year scholarship deal with the Black Cats last summer, as FA rules mean the midfielder can’t agree a professional contract until after his 17th birthday on June 18.
Ultimately, the 16-year-old would be able to sign a professional contract elsewhere when he turns 17. If a club doesn’t submit a bid Sunderland are satisfied with, the transfer fee would be settled by a tribunal, taking into account factors such as first-team appearances and international call-ups at youth level.
Sunderland will clearly hope Rigg signs a professional contract on Wearside in the near future.
Niall Huggins
After two years of constant injury setbacks, the versatile full-back returned early for pre-season last summer and took his chance at the start of the 2023/24 season.
Huggins started 17 of Sunderland’s 18 league games between September and December and was one of the side’s standout performers, earning him an international call-up for Wales.
