Sunderland could sign future “world’s best player”

It is fair to say that Sunderland hit the jackpot with several of their signings in the summer transfer window for Regis Le Bris ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

The Black Cats went into the campaign hoping to avoid an instant relegation after coming up from the Championship, yet ended up qualifying for the Europa League with a seventh-placed finish.

Signing Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen for £13m was a masterstroke, as the Switzerland international captained the team to European football in the middle of the park.

Bringing in Nordi Mukiele for £9.5m as a versatile defensive option was also a brilliant piece of business, as was paying £17.3m to sign Brian Brobbey, who scored seven goals in the Premier League.

However, not every signing works out perfectly and one of last summer’s additions has already been confirmed to be leaving the club this year, Bertrand Traore.

Why Sunderland had to release Bertrand Traore

The Black Cats paid a fee of £2.5m to bring the 30-year-old to the Stadium of Light from Ajax last summer, yet they only handed him a one-year contract on Wearside.

It was a strange move, paying multiple millions for a one-year contract, but his performances on the pitch explained why they made that decision, as he did not look cut out for a long-term future under Le Bris.

The former Aston Villa and Chelsea forward only scored one goal, which came in a 3-2 win over Bournemouth, in 12 appearances in the Premier League during the 2025/26 campaign.

Two knee injuries that kept him out for a combined 19 matches in all competitions did not do the experienced winger any favours, but his performances when he was available were also not good enough to earn a new contract.

One goal and 0.24 xA in nine starts in the Premier League is an underwhelming return, to say the least, and it is clear to see why the Black Cats decided to release him this summer, rather than offer the attacker a new deal.

Sunderland could sign Bertrand Traore upgrade for £22m

Sunderland now have to find a new right winger to come in and replace the Burkina Faso international, and Le Bris is already looking at a star who could be an instant upgrade for the team.

It was recently reported that the Black Cats have made contact to hold talks about a potential deal to sign Barcelona forward Roony Bardghji, whilst it was reported elsewhere that a fee of £22m could be enough to convince the Spanish side to sell him.

The Sweden international only started seven of his 21 appearances in LaLiga for the Spanish champions this season, yet was still able to produce one goal and 1.88 xA for his side as a left-footed right winger.

Their respective statistics per 90 at league level in the 2025/26 campaign suggest that the 20-year-old starlet would arrive at the Stadium of Light as a big upgrade for Le Bris on the flank, as he offers considerably more at the top end of the pitch.

His creative output, in particular, shows that he can consistently create high-quality chances far more frequently than Traore did during his time at Sunderland this term.

Bardghji, who journalist David Ornstein claims wants to be the “world’s best player”, could create more opportunities for the likes of Brobbey and Wilson Isidor to find the back of the net in both the Premier League and the Europa League next term.

Traore failed to register a single assist in the league for Sunderland before his exit this summer, which is why the Swedish star would arrive as a significant upgrade for the Black Cats.

On top of being a better option than the 30-year-old forward in the here and now, Bardghji is also ten years younger than Traore and would offer more longevity in the right wing position moving forward.

Instead of being a one-season-and-done player, the Barcelona youngster could be a signing for the future, as he could develop and improve over time at the Stadium of Light, which is another reason why the club should push to get this deal done.