Sunderland are planning to cash in on Dennis Cirkin during the January transfer window amid Tottenham interest
Tottenham Hotspur are playing some fantastic stuff under new boss Thomas Frank this season. With the 51-year-old bringing a fresh set of ideas and tactics, Spurs look a different outfit as compared to last campaign which was a horrible one when taken their Premier League finish into account.
The north Londoners are now keeping clean sheets after clean sheets, thanks to the new defensive structure put in place by the head coach. The back four of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence have been rock-solid. Spence has been the starting left-back this season due to Destiny Udogie’s injury issues.
Having returned from a thigh injury, Udogie is now slowly starting to clock minutes under his belt. It is never ideal to have one of the starters in the back four injury prone, which Udogie actually is. Perhaps, this is the reason why Tottenham wanted to sign Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin in the past transfer window.
Dennis Cirkin kickstarted his career in Tottenham’s youth academy before deciding to join Sunderland in 2021. The 23-year-old has been an important member of the Sunderland squad and played a key role in their promotion to the Premier League last season. Despite showing an interest in him, Spurs failed to bring the defender back to the club.
Dennis Cirkin could stall new Sunderland contract amid Tottenham interest
Cirkin has been injured since the preseason and has not been able to make his Premier League debut. The Black Cats have two new left-backs in Reinildo and Arthur Masuaku ahead of him in the pecking order, which means the Dublin-born talent could struggle to get regular minutes once he recovers from injury.
It is worth noting that the 23-year-old is into the final 11 months of his contract at Sunderland. As things stand, there are no talks over a new deal. Now, according to TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey, Cirkin is increasingly unlikely to extend his contract at the Stadium of Light, and Sunderland are expected to cash in on the left-back in January amid Spurs interest.
“On the chopping block, definitely. He’s seen two left-backs come in ahead of him this summer — Masuaku and Reinildo. As we’ve written previously, Cirkin is on Tottenham’s radar. He would fill a homegrown player slot, and Spurs like him regardless — he’s had real progression,” Graeme Bailey reports.
“Sunderland have also seen a few of their homegrown talents — the players who helped them get promoted — sidelined slightly. Cirkin is one of them; Dan Neil is another.
“Given the situation, I’d be surprised if Cirkin committed to a new deal, especially knowing he’s got interest elsewhere. He was arguably the best left-back in the Championship last season, but now he’s not getting regular games, and he’s had the odd injury.
“I don’t see a new contract in the offing for him right now. I could see a January deal, though, just to make sure Sunderland get some money for him.”
Tottenham must pounce on a cut-price January deal for the Sunderland defender
The latest developments surrounding Cirkin do nothing but give hope to Tottenham. With his contract up at Sunderland in the summer of 2026, the former England under-20 international is likely to be available for a bargain fee in January, and Spurs must pounce on the opportunity to sign him.
The left-footed defender could be a useful option to add competition for Udogie and Spence at left-back, whilst improving the depth of the squad. He will give Frank more options to work with, and being an academy product, Cirkin would automatically qualify as a homegrown player and helping in naming squads in Europe and domestically. Tottenham were forced to name only a 22-man Champions League squad this season due to lack of homegrown players, and signing the Sunderland man would immediately go some way in solving this issue.
With no talks over a new contract taking place and the Black Cats planning to cash in on Cirkin in the New Year, the Lilywhites must follow up on their interest with an official offer to get the deal done.