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Sunderland unmoved in transfer stance as players return & Regis Le Bris starts work
REGIS Le Bris' Sunderland tenure officially gets underway today, with the new head coach having spent the last week on Wearside settling in before he hits the training pitches with his players for the first time.
Le Bris held various meetings with club officials at the end of last week as he prepared to start work and also visited the newly-opened stadium store on Friday, where he spoke to supporters, before meeting and speaking to the players for the first time at the Academy of Light yesterday.
He is expected to speak to the media for the first time this week, when he will no doubt provide clarity on the make-up of his backroom team for the coming Championship campaign.
Today, the Frenchman officially starts work at the Academy of Light, with Sunderland's players having reported back on Saturday for the start of pre-season.
The players underwent a series of tests in the gym before the running got underway and Le Bris will now get his first glimpse of his squad on the training pitches.
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Jobe Bellingham reported back for the start of pre-season as planned amid the ongoing transfer interest and uncertainty - with Sunderland's stance on the versatile teenager unchanged.
Bellingham has been identified as one of Crystal Palace's leading transfer targets this summer, with head coach Oliver Glasner a huge admirer of the Sunderland man.
But the Premier League club have been told that Sunderland won't budge for anything less than £20m.
Brentford and other Premier League clubs are monitoring Bellingham's situation but it's Palace who are set to push hardest this summer for the former Birmingham youngster.
Bellingham still has three years left to run on his contract at the Stadium of Light, and while his thoughts on the Premier League interest is not known, he has publicly made clear how happy he is at Sunderland.
Jack Clarke also returned to the Academy of Light over the weekend, with the winger set to be at the centre of another summer of transfer speculation.
The 23-year-old was in-demand last summer and again in January but Sunderland stood firm. The Black Cats have again made it clear they won't budge in their valuation for the former Leeds and Tottenham man and it remains to be clear at this stage whether the likes of Southampton, Lazio and other interested clubs will meet Sunderland's asking price.
Chris Rigg joined his Sunderland teammates in reporting back, with the Black Cats hopeful of now being able to finalise the teenager's first professional contract on Wearside.
Positive talks have taken place throughout the summer and while Rigg initially delayed putting pen to paper on a deal that has been agreed in principle amid the head coach uncertainty at the time, Sunderland have always been confident of keeping their star youngster, who is expected to form a key part of Le Bris' plans this coming season.
Contract talks will also continue with Dan Neil, who rejected the club's first offer of a new deal. Again, with the head coach situation now resolved and the Black Cats looking ahead, the club's hierarchy will push for a breakthrough in talks with the midfielder.
Le Bris now has a fortnight on the training pitches with his players ahead of the club's first pre-season friendlies against South Shields and Gateshead a week on Saturday.
Sunderland bosses have felt a transformation in the mood around the club over the course of the last 10 days or so, with the appointment of Le Bris followed by last week's successful home kit launch and the opening of the club's new stadium store.
Chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has been on Wearside in the last week and met and spoke with supporters in the store.
He said: "It's mind blowing to see so many people queuing to get the new home shirt.
"Now I'm glad we put in so much effort in the last six months because you can see what it means to people."
