“Invest the Jack Clarke Funds” – Sunderland Fans Urge Owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus for January Transfers
This article is part of Football League World’s “Terrace Talk” series, where our FLW Fan Pundits share their personal insights on the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings, and more.
Sunderland have made a fantastic start to the 24/25 Championship season, currently sitting atop the league during the international break.
Since his arrival this summer, Regis Le Bris has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround at the Stadium of Light, leading the team to six victories in their first nine matches, totaling 19 points.
The Mackems have experienced a wave of success since Kyril Louis-Dreyfus took over in February 2021, securing their place in the second tier and reigniting their ambitions for Premier League football.
With this backdrop, we spoke to Football League World’s Sunderland fan pundit Jack Austwicke about his expectations from the owners moving forward, as the mood on Wearside is more positive than it has been in recent years.
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus urged to provide Regis Le Bris with funds for January transfers.
Austwicke is urging Kyril Louis-Dreyfus to provide Regis Le Bris with funds for the January transfer window. While Sunderland has started strong, there are concerns about the previous season, where the team’s performance significantly declined in the second half.
Not aided by the managerial changes of Tony Mowbray, Michael Beale, and Mike Dodds throughout the season, the club’s performance declined significantly, with only three wins in 14 matches after the new year, leading to a slide into mid-table mediocrity.
With only Leo Hjelde, Romaine Mundle, and Callum Styles joining the first team in January, progress in the North East stalled, and Austwicke wants to prevent a similar situation this time.
The Mackems fan pundit stated, “It’s tough to critique our owner given our current success. Last season was rough, but it felt like a necessary sacrifice for this year.
“You need a low point to reach a high point—that’s just how it goes. I believe we’re definitely moving in the right direction under our current ownership, and it’s hard to argue otherwise since they took over.”
“Now we’re sitting at the top of the Championship after nine games, but you don’t win anything in October, so we need to keep pushing.
Sunderland January 2024 Transfer Window Deals (Transfermarkt)
| Player | Club | Loan/Permanent |
|---|---|---|
| Leo Hjelde | Leeds United | Permanent |
| Romaine Mundle | Standard Liege | Permanent |
| Rhys Walsh | Glentoran | Permanent |
| Callum Styles | Barnsley | Loan |
“I think the expectation is to build on this in January, utilize the Jack Clarke funds, and seize this opportunity, because you never know how many chances you’ll get to return to the Premier League.”
Sunderland Urged to Capitalize on Strong Championship Start
With talents like Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham leading the charge, Regis Le Bris has transformed Sunderland’s fortunes, propelling them to their best position since their Premier League exit seven years ago.
The French manager has guided the team to an impressive start this season, highlighted by notable wins against Burnley and Middlesbrough, and a somewhat lucky 2-2 draw with Leeds United in their latest match.
With expectations soaring on Wearside, Austwicke is eager for his club to seize the opportunity this season, as the Championship is expected to be more competitive than ever in the coming months.
He continued: “Anything can happen, so use this chance, and hopefully by Christmas we will be sitting pretty, still hopefully in the top two or the top six.
“Then you spend in January, make the most of this chance, and hopefully we can kick on.”
Source: https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/january-sunderland-owner-kyril-louis-dreyfus/
