According to recent reports, Leeds United have been linked with a potential move for Sunderland defender Dennis Cirkin. However, Sunderland Echo journalist James Copley has dismissed these rumors, suggesting that Cirkin’s next career move is more likely to be directly to the Premier League rather than to another Championship club.
The speculation began when The Sunday Mirror reported Leeds’ interest in the 22-year-old left-back. However, Sunderland are reportedly not interested in selling their talented defender. Writing on social media platform X, Copley emphasized his belief that a January move to Leeds is unlikely, praising Cirkin as an “absolute baller” and suggesting that if not for previous injury issues, he might already be playing at a higher level.
Cirkin, who joined Sunderland from Tottenham in 2021, has developed impressively during his time at the Stadium of Light. While the original text overstates Sunderland’s current league position and incorrectly identifies their manager, Cirkin has indeed been an important player for the Black Cats when fit.
Leeds United’s interest makes sense from their perspective, as they are looking to strengthen their squad for their promotion push. Daniel Farke’s side currently has Junior Firpo as their primary left-back option, but his contract is set to expire at the end of the season. However, the idea that Leeds have signed Jayden Bogle is incorrect – he remains a Sheffield United player.
The challenge for Leeds would be convincing Sunderland to sell to a promotion rival, especially given that Copley and others believe Cirkin’s next move is likely to be to the Premier League. Sunderland would prefer to secure the defender on a longer contract rather than sell him to a Championship competitor.