Sunderland may be forced to turn their attention elsewhere in pursuit of a new permanent head coach as one leading candidate could return to the Bundesliga, according to reports.
The regular season ended over two weeks ago and the Championship will come to a conclusion this Sunday when Leeds United take on Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley to decide who shall return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Sunderland Set To Lose Key Man This Summer Amid European Interest
However, in just a matter of weeks, the 2024/25 campaign will commence, giving the Sunderland board very little time to appoint a new manager in the Stadium of Light dugout to be Michael Beale’s permanent successor following his departure back in February.
Mike Dodds took interim charge for the second time this season after Beale’s dismissal. Unfortunately, his time at the helm didn’t go as smoothly as he’d hoped, with the Wearside outfit winning just two of his 13 matches in charge. The club finished 16th in the table and merely seven points above the relegation zone.
One name that has been linked with the vacant job at Sunderland is former Mainz boss Bo Svensson. The Swedish coach has been out of work since leaving the Bundesliga club – the old stomping ground of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel – back in November.
Nevertheless, according to a new report from German outlet Watson, Svensson is the leading frontrunner to take over at Bundesliga side Union Berlin this summer, dealing a blow to Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ ambition to appoint the 44-year-old.
Writer’s View
Svensson would have been an incredible appointment for Sunderland. The Swede guided Mainz to back-to-back top-half finishes in the German top-flight despite the club having a limited budget which is an amazing achievement while following in the gigantic footsteps of managerial giants like Klopp and Tuchel.
However, he has proven his worth in Germany and getting the Union Berlin job makes a lot of sense instead of going to the Black Cats to compete in one of the most difficult leagues in the world. It’s back to the drawing board now for Louis-Dreyfus.
Deputy Head of Writing
