After eight years away from the top flight, Sunderland made a triumphant return to the Premier League last season, clinching promotion with a thrilling playoff victory over Sheffield United at Wembley.

Under the guidance of Regis Le Bris, the Black Cats have carried that momentum into the 2025–26 season, dazzling fans with commanding performances that have seen them rise to seventh place with 14 points from their opening eight matches. Only six promoted teams in Premier League history have started a season this strongly, marking Sunderland’s best top-flight beginning since the 1999–2000 campaign.

Despite the club’s remarkable resurgence, former England striker Offiong remains measured in his expectations. When asked if Sunderland could challenge for a top-five finish, he opted for cautious optimism.

“They’re doing really well. Sunderland are really doing great—probably better than a lot of people thought,” the 41-year-old told Flashscore.com.

“Sunderland have lots of new players, and those players have really gelled. I think they can do really well this season. You never know if they can finish in the top five. I’m hoping they do, and if that happens, it would be a fantastic season. But honestly, every Sunderland fan would love to see the team remain in the league. If they stay in the Premier League, they’ll be more than happy with that.”

The Black Cats’ best-ever Premier League finish is seventh, achieved in consecutive seasons in 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

African Signings Fuel Sunderland’s Strong Start

A major factor behind Sunderland’s early-season success has been their ambitious transfer window, which saw 15 new players arrive at a reported cost of over £160 million—a record outlay for a promoted club.

Among the recruits, the influx of African talent stood out, delighting Offiong, who is of Nigerian descent. Players such as Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso), Nordi Mukiele (France/Congo), Arthur Masuaku (Congo), Simon Adingra (Côte d’Ivoire), Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo Mandava (Mozambique), Noah Sadiki (Congo), and Habib Diarra (Senegal) have strengthened the squad considerably.

“I really love it because when I was younger, this wasn’t really the case,” Offiong said. “There weren’t many teams with lots of black or African players. It’s really good to see.”

Sunderland will look to maintain their strong form as they travel to Stamford Bridge for a crucial clash with Chelsea this Saturday. Between 1996 and 2001, the Black Cats won four of their first six Premier League meetings with the Blues. Since then, however, they have managed only three victories in 26 encounters, alongside two draws and 21 defeats.

Offiong Champions Anti-Racism in Football

Offiong retired from professional football in 2015 after a nomadic career spanning Scotland, Turkey, Belgium, South Korea, Sweden, Australia, and Malaysia. Since retiring, he has dedicated himself to social impact work and now serves as Campaign Coordinator for Show Racism the Red Card, a leading anti-racism education charity.

The organisation leverages the influence of professional footballers as role models to challenge racism and promote inclusion across society.

When asked whether football is doing enough to combat racism, Offiong struck a cautiously optimistic note.

“I think there’s always more that can be done. Clubs can make sure they’re representative of fans and create environments that are safe and inclusive. Things can always improve. The positive is that more people are aware, more people want to get involved, and more people are trying to make a difference. I’m confident things will continue to improve in the future.”