Alan Browne

Browne plays as a central midfielder capable of both defensive and attacking contributions, the kind of all-round profile that made him captain material at his previous club for several seasons running. He covers ground relentlessly across ninety minutes, arriving late into the box as comfortably as he tracks back to help his own defence. That balance made him one of the most complete midfielders outside the Premier League for a long stretch of his career.

The question at Sunderland is whether that level of experience translates cleanly to the pace of the Premier League after so many years at a level below it. He offers leadership and reliability that a squad values even when he is not the most eye-catching player on the pitch. Watch whether he becomes a regular contributor or settles into more of an experienced squad option instead.