RLB ON NEIL FUTURE

The arrival of Granit Xhaka, alongside Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki, means there are unprecedented levels of competition in Sunderland's midfield. Regis Le Bris has spoken about Dan Neil, who was one of the first names on the team sheet last season but now finds himself without a guaranteed starting spot in the Premier League.

NEED TO STEP UP

“We will see what happens. I think for the players who came from League One to the Championship and then got promoted again, it’s the same for all of them, they need to step up. We trust these players, but the gap is massive. So, they will need time and they will need confidence."

TRUST AND SUPPORT

"That’s the case for everyone. If they are involved, and they believe this project is important for them and they have a possibility if being part of it, then we will trust and support them.”

ONE YEAR LEFT ON DEAL

“As a manager, the contract situation is not a problem. It is never a problem for me. If you are on the pitch and you can train properly, then you can be involved in the squad. After that, you have the other side of things with the club, but that is not my problem at the minute.”