Sunderland have completed their fourth signing of the summer with 19-year-old left-back Dennis Cirkin signing from Tottenham Hotspur.
Cirkin completed a medical and has now put pen to paper on a three-year deal on Wearside having signed for an undisclosed fee.
The youngster is yet to make his first professional appearance but has featured on the bench in the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup.
Cirkin has made 21 appearances for Tottenham’s under-23 side in Premier League 2, the first of which came when he was just 16-years-old.
It is no secret that Sunderland are in need of full-backs on both sides, with midfielders Dan Neil and Carl Winchester filling in on the opening day of the season, and they have now managed to get one over the line.
Former Sunderland left-back Denver Hume’s contract situation remains unsolved and moves for other players have not come to fruition, but Lee Johnson has now managed to add to his squad.
Whether the door is still open for Hume remains to be seen. While Neil is naturally a midfielder, he has impressed in his spell at left-back and may be seen as an option for that position going forward.
Cirkin is the same age as Neil, and so the left side of Sunderland’s defence will continue to have a very youthful look to it with a 19-year-old at left-back next to 17-year-old Callum Doyle playing on the left side in the middle.
The hunt now switches to adding a right-back, and Sunderland have been linked with Nottingham Forest defender Jordan Gabriel.
Forest added Jordi Osei-Tutu on loan from Arsenal on Tuesday, which may free up Gabriel to move on although the Reds still look short in that position, and Blackpool have also been credited with an interest.
Blackpool would likely have an advantage over Sunderland due to the defender having been on loan there last season, but it is also possible that Forest choose not to deal with Blackpool as they would be strengthening a rival side.
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