{"id":267,"date":"2026-06-10T17:23:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T16:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/?p=267"},"modified":"2026-07-02T19:42:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T18:42:39","slug":"sunderland-afc-announce-retained-list-for-2026-27","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/?p=267","title":{"rendered":"Sunderland AFC announce retained list for 2026-27"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:8px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cirkin-and-neil-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-269\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.499297204435421;width:711px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cirkin-and-neil-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cirkin-and-neil-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cirkin-and-neil-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cirkin-and-neil.webp 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sunderland AFC today confirmed our retained and released list following the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dan Neil, Dennis Cirkin, Bertrand Traor\u00e9 and Niall Huggins will all leave Sunderland, with all other first-team players being retained.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meanwhile, the club can confirm it remains in discussions with Lutsharel Geertruida.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">After helping Sunderland gain promotion from League One, Dan Neil captained the Club back to the Premier League and made more than 200 appearances in red and white.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dennis Cirkin also leaves the Black Cats after five years, having helped push the Club from the third tier to the top-flight, playing 120 times.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Bertrand Traor\u00e9 departs after one year on Wearside, helping the team to a successful first season back in the Premier League.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Niall Huggins moves on after joining in the summer of 2021. The full-back won the Club\u2019s Goal of the Season award for his exceptional strike against Watford during the 2023-24 season.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Under-21 players Oliver Bainbridge, Marshall Burke, Dan Cameron, Thomas Lavery, Elias Lenz, Ethan Moore, Adam Richardson, Rhys Walsh and Jake Waters will all leave the Club this summer, with second-year scholars Ivan Struk and George Bell also departing the Academy of Light.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">All players depart the club with the thanks and best wishes for the future from everybody at Sunderland AFC.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Youth players Finn Geragusian, Liam Hunt, Charlie Dinsdale, Bayley Hester, Marcus Neill, Finlay Holcroft, Joseph Neild and Felix Scott have all been offered professional contracts.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Contracted:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ahmed Abdullahi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Simon Adingra<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Omar Alderete<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Milan Aleksi\u0107<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Aji Alese<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Isaac Allan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nilson Angulo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Abdoullah Ba<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dan Ballard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luke Bell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Brian Brobbey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alan Browne<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Habib Diarra<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Melker Ellborg<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leo Hjelde<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trai Hume<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wilson Isidor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jenson Jones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jaydon Jones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ben Kindon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Enzo Le F\u00e9e<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ben Metcalf<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reinildo Mandava<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Arthur Masuaku<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Eliezer Mayenda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Simon Moore<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nordi Mukiele<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Romaine Mundle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luke O\u2019Nien<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Anthony Patterson<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Timoth\u00e9e Pemb\u00e9l\u00e9<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chris Rigg<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Robin Roefs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nazariy Rusyn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Noah Sadiki<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trey Ogunsuyi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jenson Seelt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luis Hem\u00edr<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jocelin Ta Bi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chemsdine Talbi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Granit Xhaka<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matty Young<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zak Johnson<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Harrison Jones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Timur Tutierov<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Out of contract &amp; released:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dennis Cirkin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Niall Huggins<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dan Neil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bertrand Traor\u00e9<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oliver Bainbridge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marshall Burke<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tom Lavery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Elias Lenz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ethan Moore<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Adam Richardson<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rhys Walsh<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jake Waters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ivan Struk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">George Bell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ongoing discussions:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lutsharel Geertruida<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Youth players offered professional contracts:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Liam Hunt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Charlie Dinsdale<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bayley Hester<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marcus Neill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finlay Holcroft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Archie Lightfoot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Joseph Neild<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Felix Scott<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finn Geragusian<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sunderland AFC today confirmed our retained and released list following the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign. Dan Neil, Dennis Cirkin, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":269,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sunderland-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=267"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1277,"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267\/revisions\/1277"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wearsideworldwide.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}