Roker Roundtable: Reacting to news of Dennis Cirkin’s new Sunderland contract!

Anthony Gair says…

This has come as a surprise.

He was one of those lads who I thought would be off to the Premier League after the impression he made last season.

Any club worth their salt should be looking at players like Cirkin and his potential, and to keep someone as capable as him at the club for a further three years is magnificent news.

On his day, he’s as important as anyone else on the field, and I include Amad in that, so hopefully he continues in the vein of form he was in at the back end of the season, and develops into an even better footballer.

It’s exciting times to be a Sunderland fan. Haway!

Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Dan Harrison says…

I think it’s a really strong statement of intent by the club to tie Cirkin down to a long-term deal.

Many of the U21 players we brought in all came with buy-back caveats, Cirkin being one of them, and I think it’s a shrewd move to slowly but surely remove them as swiftly as possible by renegotiating improved terms for key players.

All wage increases seem to fit in with the club’s pay model and that shows that we’ve got our financial situation in check, as well as a happy dressing room which will hopefully filter onto the pitch next season.

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Tom Albrighton says…

A surprise, and a wonderful one at that. Cirkin is another player brimming with potential and he’s clearly enjoying his time on Wearside.

What’s even more impressive is the picture this paints of Sunderland AFC as a whole.

Although many outside sources have us labelled as nothing but a selling club, it’s clear that with acts like this, we’ll only sell when we want to.

Cirkin’s new contract also outlines the positive atmosphere created at the club.

It not only shows how attractive a proposition Sunderland is to young players, but how with meticulous attention to detail in recruiting not only the right talent but also personalities, players want to stay at the club and commit their futures as such.

With contracts recently handed out to Dan Neil and Trai Hume, it goes to show how the club isn’t resting on their laurels and demonstrating to fans and critics alike how seriously we operate, juxtaposing to the jovial and joyful football we play.

Photo by Barrington Coombs/PA Images via Getty Images

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