Sunderland in “ambitious” talks to sign “sensational” upgrade for Le Bris

Sunderland are looking to bolster their squad with new signings during the summer transfer window in an attempt to avoid an instant relegation from the Premier League.

Regis Le Bris’ side won promotion via the play-offs from the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign, and go up to the top-flight knowing that they need to add more quality to the squad.

It was recently reported that the Black Cats are in talks with Dynamo Kyiv to secure a deal for Ukraine international centre-forward Vladyslav Vanat to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

The 23-year-old striker scored 17 goals in 28 league games for Dynamo Kyiv this season, along with one goal in the Europa League, and could be an exciting addition in the final third.

However, Sunderland will also have to look at ways to improve the team at the other end of the pitch, as they will be in a relegation battle that will see their defence constantly tested by high-quality sides.

With this in mind, the club should be looking to secure an upgrade on current first-choice Anthony Patterson, who may not be ready for the Premier League.

Why Anthony Patterson may not be Premier League ready

The 25-year-old stopper has been Sunderland’s first-choice since he broke through as the number one in the 2021/22 campaign, and started 45 games in the Championship this term.

However, Patterson’s performances in the second tier for Le Bris do not suggest that he is likely to make the step up to the Premier League to be a reliable figure between the sticks.

The Black Cats academy graduate let too many errors, like the one in the clip above, creep into his game, and he will be punished even more at a higher level, given the step up in the quality of attackers.

As you can see in the table above, Patterson conceded 1.75 more goals than expected based on the xG of the shots that he faced, which meant that he underperformed as a shot-stopper overall as he let in more than the average goalkeeper would have been expected to.

He also ranked within the bottom 35% of goalkeepers in the Championship by only claiming 4.2% of the crosses into his box, as well as ranking in the bottom 11% for defensive actions outside of his box per 90 (0.64).

These statistics suggest that Patterson is unlikely to be a key player for the Black Cats in the Premier League, as he underperformed as a shot-stopper, a cross-claimer, and a sweeper-keeper at a lower level in the second tier.

Sunderland in talks to sign Ligue 1 star

Supporters should, therefore, be pleased to read that the club are reportedly eyeing up a deal to sign an upgrade on the English goalkeeper this summer.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Sunderland have made an approach to sign OGC Nice shot-stopper Marcin Bulka to bolster their ranks between the sticks.

The reporter claims that the Black Cats are now in talks with the Ligue 1 side to secure his signature as part of their “ambitious” approach to the market.

Romano adds that multiple other teams have approached Nice with an interest in the Poland international, which suggests that there will be plenty of competition for his services throughout the summer transfer window.

There is no mention, however, of how much money the French side are set to demand for the former Chelsea goalkeeper, or how much Sunderland are prepared to pay for him.

Why Marcin Bulka is an upgrade for Sunderland

The Black Cats could improve their team by winning the race for Bulka’s signature before the end of the summer transfer window, based on his performances for Nice in Ligue 1 during the 2024/25 campaign.

He started 34 games in the French top-flight and caught the eye with his impressive shot-stopping skills, saving 75% of the shots on his goal and preventing 2.74 goals.

That came after the former PSG goalkeeper, who was hailed as “sensational” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, prevented 2.00 goals in 34 Ligue 1 games for Nice during the previous campaign, which shows that he has consistently outperformed as a shot-stopper over the past two seasons.

Bulka, as you can see in the clips above, is capable of producing some stunning saves to keep the ball out of the net, and has proven himself in one of Europe’s major leagues over multiple seasons.

His performances as an all-round goalkeeper in the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he would arrive at the Stadium of Light as a significant upgrade on what Le Bris currently has between the sticks.

As you can see in the table above, Bulka outperformed Patterson as a shot-stopper, a cross-claimer, and as a sweeper-keeper this season, whilst playing at a higher level in the top tier in France, compared to the Championship.

These statistics suggest that the Polish colossus, who has been Nice’s number one for the past two campaigns, has the quality to arrive on Wearside as an immediate upgrade on the current Sunderland number one.

He has proven his quality in a top European league and could, therefore, hit the ground running as a reliable and quality goalkeeper who can stop shots and crosses with impressive regularity, particularly compared to Patterson.

This is why the Black Cats must do their best to win the race for Bulka’s signature, now that they are in official talks with Nice to agree a deal for the 25-year-old star, who would improve their chances of avoiding the drop from the Premier League next term.