Florent Ghisolfi on how Sunderland kept core squad in summer window

Sunderland kept their core squad intact this summer, with Florent Ghisolfi saying a proactive plan helped fend off suitors. The director of football framed retention as the club’s top objective.

According to Sunderland Echo, heavy interest was anticipated after a superb first season back in the Premier League, when Sunderland finished seventh and qualified for the Europa League. In the event, only an early approach from Chelsea for Granit Xhaka was rebuffed and the main group stayed together.

Ghisolfi said months of preparation before the window opened were crucial. He believes players and their families sense the club’s ambition and are happy, pointing to new contracts for Robin Roefs and Enzo Le Fée.

He described the quieter window as policy. Sunderland still signed six players, including three on deadline day, but the focus was on continuity rather than churn.

Ghisolfi said he would choose keeping the team over selling and buying seven apiece, stressing the squad is young, energetic and close-knit. He added that the starters were retained and some have been secured on fresh terms, which he viewed as important.

Source: Sunderland Echo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”