Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman is continuing to build an exciting squad full of talented young players at the Stadium of Light.

The likes of Dan Neil, Aji Alese, Edouard Michut, Jewison Bennette, Jack Clarke, and Anthony Patterson are all promising youngsters who could go on to make the club a huge profit in the future if they fulfil their potential on the pitch.

Developing young players in order to sell them on for big money further down the line can help to keep the club financially sustainable as they could fund their own transfer business by cashing in on gems, rather than needing outside investment in order to compete.

One player who could end up being a great example of that is current first-team defender Dennis Cirkin. The 20-year-old, who arrived at the Stadium of Light in 2021, has been touted with a transfer back to Premier League side Tottenham - who have a buyback option worth £6m.

If that move does go through, in January or next summer, and Cirkin leaves to re-join his former club then Speakman will be tasked with dipping into the market, with a chunk of that £6m, to find the heir to the youngster at left-back.

The Black Cats chief could find the ex-Spurs man's replacement by securing a deal to sign 22-year-old full-back Anthony Glennon from Grimsby in the January transfer window.

Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, and Hull are all interested in signing the full-back and have been 'making regular checks' on his performances this season, according to Football Insider.

Former Grimsby boss Ian Holloway described him as being "remarkable" during a previous spell on loan with the club and Burnley reporter Alex James once claimed that the gem has a "big future".

He would be another player, at the age of 22, who would be joining Sunderland as a young talent with the scope to improve and increase his market value over time.

Glennon has showcased his potential and quality in League Two with Grimsby this season as he has been putting in consistently impressive performances at left-back.

The former Burnley man has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.18 in 13 matches in the fourth tier and is his club's top performer in the division this season.

He has showcased his ability to drive forward from full-back with 1.8 key passes per game and three assists, from three 'big chances' created, in League Two, which shows that he has an attacking mindset and could make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

It remains to be seen whether or not Glennon has the quality to make the step up to the Championship but part of Sunderland's development model is taking educated gambles on players with potential and the 22-year-old's statistics suggest that he could play at a higher level, as he has been a standout for Grimsby.