Sunderland sent serious relegation warning despite Le Bris praise for bomba recruitment – Exclusive

Sunderland have been warned to be on their guard against Premier League complacency and getting dragged into a relegation battle as they prepare to embark on a Europa League campaign, despite a former star exclusively telling TEAMtalk why the recruitment at the club has been second to none since Regis Le Bris took charge.

The French coach has proved nothing short of a revelation on Wearside, leading the Black Cats to promotion via the play-offs during his first year in charge and then steering the club to a remarkable seventh-placed finish on their return to the Premier League.

That finish – the highest by a newly-promoted Premier League club since Ipswich finished fifth in the 2000/01 campaign – booked Sunderland a spot in the Europa League – further underlining the incredible work Le Bris and his coaching staff at the Stadium of Light.

However, former star Jason McAteer has told us why the Black Cats, who are in Carabao Cup action against Hull City on Tuesday and then face Arsenal in the Premier League before embarking on their Europa League adventure against AZ Alkmaar next Wednesday, will need to be on their guard and ensure they continue to focus on domestic matters.

“All eyes are on Sunderland now because of that classic second-season syndrome. We saw it with Ipswich who came up, qualified for Europe, and then got relegated the very next year,” McAteer told TEAMtalk on behalf of 10Bet.

“Navigating the Premier League alongside domestic cups and European football is a massive ask. But what they achieved last season was fantastic – they only lost five games across all competitions in their first 20 matches, and they built incredible momentum, holding on at the death to seal that European spot.

“Having European football makes a huge difference in recruitment because you can entice a higher calibre of player.”

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Sunderland deserve praise for impressive recruitment

McAteer, who played for Sunderland between 2001 and 2004, believes the Blacks Cats’ recruitment since their return to the Premier League is second to none, and insists the club deserves enormous praise for not just the level of player they have attracted, but also for absolutely nailing several bomba targets who have hit the ground running.

“Their recruitment department deserves massive credit. Régis Le Bris used his deep knowledge of the French market, alongside their French sporting director, to target young, fit, physical players who adapted instantly to the Premier League.

“But whether they can sustain that level and standard remains to be seen…

“[Deadline day signing Malick] Fofana is another quality player handpicked by that department, but you never know.

“If they suffer a bad run of two or three games without a win, the pressure mounts very quickly – especially after conceding in the 99th minute on the opening weekend.

“It’s a steep learning curve, but they have genuine quality throughout their starting XI to pull through and enjoy another excellent campaign.”

In addition to Fofana, Sunderland also secured the signing of Austrian defender Kevin Danso from Tottenham Hotspur, though they missed out on landing an Aston Villa man who now looks destined to sign a new deal under Unai Emery.