What Will The Future Hold For Dennis Cirkin?

Joseph Tulip says…

Cirkin is among a unique band of Sunderland players who have made the journey from League One to the Premier League. Quite a few of them remain at the club but it’s only Cirkin, alongside Trai Hume and Luke O’Nien that currently forms part of the first team picture. In some ways they’ve overachieved, demonstrating a show of loyalty, togetherness and spirit to maximise their abilities to help turn around the fortunes of our great club. Whenever he’s played, Cirkin has been a dependable and naturally left-footed full back who’s enjoyed getting forward and supporting the attack, contributing some memorable goals and assists. This season has seemed like some sort of trial for Cirkin. Ability-wise, he’s done well in games and has certainly not looked out of place in the Premier League. Sadly, he’s going up against such an accomplished performer in Reinildo — and whenever Reinildo has been injured or unavailable, it’s coincided with Cirkin’s own injury woes, restricting his chances of a starting berth. I do feel that years of injury troubles may have finally caught up with Cirkin at Sunderland, but I’d love to see him stay — even if it’s as a back up to Reinildo for another season or two — but with a view to taking over from the established Mozambique international, who isn’t getting any younger. The apparent lack of a contract offer does suggest that Cirkin’s days at Sunderland are limited, and despite what we might speculate, none of us really know what might be happening behind the scenes. In my book, Cirkin is a firm favourite and has achieved more than many in a red and white shirt during his five years of loyal service to the club. It’s been an eventful journey and whatever lies ahead, he should never have to buy himself a pint on Wearside.

Malc Dugdale says…

I do think it’s time for Cirkin to move on, but he can do so with his head held high about how he’s helped our cause. We signed him in the depths of League One and at a time when he was very fancied by several clubs as one for the future (the fee allegedly being around the £1 million mark), and he’s contributed significantly to getting us to where we are right now. The combination of his injury record and the fact the club are focused on improving in every position no matter what players have done to help the club (see Anthony Patterson and Dan Neil) suggests to me that they’ll take a decent offer for him and invest that in a better successor or two to Reinildo. Cirkin has worked his arse off for the Lads and has had a horrendous time with injuries, but the way he’s played through the pain barrier with his ‘Keith Lemon tribute’ wrist strapping is indicative of his commitment. Whilst his skill levels may have been decent enough for a Premier League chance, his body has let him down and I think he’s better off moving on and making the most of what’s a short career with more playing time elsewhere. He’s been a good buy and a great lad, but he’s part of our past and not the future. Now our Premier League survival is locked in, we’ll be doing the right thing for both Cirkin and the club by selling him at a reasonable profit (which I’m confident we can do) and kick on with investment in the summer window. I do wish him well but we need cover and to progress in that position, and we sadly can’t expect Cirkin to deliver either, so we move onwards and upwards. All the best, Dennis. Been a blast.

Phil West says…

Tough one, but quite an intriguing situation. Cirkin is one of the few remaining Sunderland players that were central to both our League One and Championship promotions, but unlike Trai Hume and Luke O’Nien, he’s found game time scarce during 2025/2026 whilst paradoxically doing rather well whenever he’s been called upon (few players have successfully stood toe to toe with Rayan Cherki this season, for example, but Cirkin did, and without being turned into a human tornado). The form and durability of Reinildo has rightly cemented him as our first choice at left back — even if he’s not quite hit the heights of early season in recent weeks — and for 2026/2027, I can see the former Mozambique international remaining as our number one in that position, most likely with a high-class and possibly marquee signing being made in order to give us the depth that we’ve occasionally lacked. As to Cirkin’s future, if he does leave and ends up back in the Championship, you’d imagine it would be as a signing made by a side looking to push strongly for promotion. His quality at that level is in no doubt and he’d be a real asset for any club he joined, but on the other hand, might a mid-table or newly-promoted Premier League club take a punt on him as a free agent and perhaps utilise him as a squad option? I wouldn’t rule that out, but his injury record would also be taken into account by potential suitors. In an ideal world, the former Tottenham youngster would put pen to paper on a new deal and continue to challenge for games next season, but the mood music and lack of any breakthroughs seems to hint at a summer exit. It would be a shame to lose him as he’s served the club well and has shown real resilience to battle back from the injury issues that have blighted his Sunderland career, but you can probably file this one under “tough decisions” — something that we’ll doubtless be hearing quite a lot over the coming months.