Sunderland are currently preparing for their return to the Premier League.
Regis Le Bris’ side secured promotion to the English top flight by winning the Championship play-offs last season, which sees the Black Cats play in the Premier League for the first time since the 2016/17 campaign.
Like many promoted clubs in the past, Sunderland have begun a big recruitment drive to help them try and avoid going back down to the Championship this season, but the players that have arrived at the Stadium of Light will be a concern for fans of the club at one point during the upcoming campaign.
Le Bris is about to see another top talent arrive at the Stadium of Light, but this signing will be another that could help Man City in December.
Sunderland closing in on the signing of Simon Adingra
The Athletic reports that Brighton & Hove Albion winger Simon Adingra is closing in on a permanent move to Sunderland, which will make the 23-year-old the Black Cats’ sixth signing of the summer.
With the Ivory Coast star set to move to the Stadium of Light, a big problem Sunderland will now have is the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which gets underway in December, as five of Le Bris’ new players are from the continent and will depart mid-season to represent their countries.
With the competition taking place from 21 December to 18 January, Man City will benefit from this as Pep Guardiola’s side travel to Sunderland on 30 December, which could see the Manchester club face a weakened team at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats are likely to make other signings to compensate for this period of the season, with Man City’s Charlie Gray being one player Sunderland are interested in.
The Africa Cup of Nations will also leave Man City without some players, which may also be a concern for Guardiola, considering they face Chelsea and Man United during that period of the campaign.
Man City players who will go to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
Like most clubs in the Premier League, Man City will also have players leaving to represent their countries in December, with the biggest concern being that they are two vital stars within Guardiola’s squad.
Man City signed Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer from Wolves to address their issues at left-back, and the Algerian star will not be available for selection in December as he travels to Morocco for AFCON.
Guardiola has been impressed with Omar Marmoush ever since he arrived at the Etihad Stadium in January, and the Egyptian forward is another player the legendary coach will be without around the mid-season mark.
This will be a big blow for City; however, it is something every club will have to deal with during the upcoming season, but Sunderland seem to be one team that could be affected the most.
