Sunderland would have been obviously disappointed to lose star man Jack Clarke this summer, but ultimately relieved that there was no mass exodus from the Stadium of Light away from his exit.
Last campaign could have led to many key first-teamers wanting to relocate – as a revolving door of new managers culminated in the Black Cats not even finishing in the top half of the Championship table – but only Clarke's departure was a high-profile one.
There would have been a fear in the air that Dan Neil was going to eventually push for a move away from his boyhood employers, with reports suggesting he was unsettled this summer before Regis Le Bris' appointment as the club's new boss was announced.
But, he ended up staying put and continues to be a reliable performer in the middle of the park for his side, even now wearing the captain's armband.
Neil's importance at Sunderland
Away from missing the Wearside outfit's last Championship clash owing to suspension, the 22-year-old has been a mainstay of Le Bris' lineups in the league since the already popular 48-year-old's arrival.
Neil has been very rarely not picked over the years by whatever manager is occupying the dug-out, since his emergence into the senior fold back in 2020, with 152 first-team appearances now under his belt.
When he hasn't been sidelined due to a red card, Neil has helped contribute to his side's flawless start in the Championship, with three duels won and two tackles completed against Sheffield Wednesday last month ensuring his energetic team kept a clean sheet in an emphatic 4-0 victory.
Of course, the Black Cats captain will want to chip in with some of his own goals and assists moving forward too away from helping his side be rock solid defensively, with ten goals and 17 assists registered from his 152 Sunderland appearances to date.
As a direct result of his continued importance to the first-team cause, Neil's transfer value is just going up and up – according to Football Transfers – with his valuation now standing at a steep £7m, when it was just at £3.9m back in April.
There is another member of Le Bris' squad who is worth even more than Neil now, however, as Trai Hume also continues to excel for the early second-tier pace-setters.
Hume's value for Sunderland
Hume, unlike Neil, is yet to miss a single minute of league action for Le Bris' men this season so far, with his spot very much remaining concrete in the main Sunderland XI moving forward.
The 22-year-old's performance on the opening day against Cardiff City saw the Northern Irishman at his blistering best venturing forward, with two key passes notched up, whilst also ensuring he defended valiantly to help his side pick up their first clean sheet of the campaign in Wales.
Date
Value
September 2024
£7.9m
October 2023
£5.7m
April 2022
£927k
January 2022
£168k
Sourced by Football Transfers
Previously snapped up from Linfield for a reported fee of just £200k back in 2022, the once unassuming defender has turned into an absolute beast in the Championship over the last two years, with his value now all the way up at £7.9m, as per Football Transfers. That represents an increase of 3850% in relation to his initial fee.
It's no surprise that the likes of Aston Villa and Leeds United have been recently rumoured to be keen on snapping up the entertaining right-back, therefore, but Hume – much like Neil – didn't move to pastures new during the last transfer window.
Even captaining his nation during the international break, the "outstanding" defender's career – as he was labelled by football journalist Josh Bunting last season – could well soar to even loftier heights this season for his current employers, if Le Bris' men end up winning promotion.
Sunderland will just pray they've not raced out of the blocks too quickly and eventually lose steam, but Neil and Hume will believe they can steer their side back up to the Premier League, alongside other standout performers at the Stadium of Light.
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