England boss Thomas Tuchel has already told Sunderland exactly why they should re-sign Jordan Henderson

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Sunderland have been linked with re-signing Academy of Light graduate Jordan Henderson after the club’s promotion to the Premier League.

Sunderland’s promotion to the Premier League has opened up an upper echelon of potential signings after their Championship play-off final win over Sheffield United.

Roma loanee Enzo Le Fee signs permanently at Sunderland, following the top flight achievement, and £20m Monaco defender Wilfried Singo has also been linked with a move to Wearside.

Black Cats owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has set the Premier League transfer budget for the approaching summer window, filling the Sunderland supporters with excitement as to the quality of arrivals expected to join Regis Le Bris’ squad.

One name heavily linked is Academy of Light graduate Jordan Henderson, who Sunderland fans are all desperate to see sign.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has already shared the same sentiments as the Wearside faithful.

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Thomas Tuchel has told Sunderland why they should sign Jordan Henderson

After Henderson’s time at the Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ettifaq and Dutch giants Ajax, eyebrows were raised amongst England supporters when newly-appointed manager Tuchel named the Liverpool legend in his first Three Lions squad.

However, the German manager leapt to the defence of Henderson in March, after granting him his first England selection since March 2024, which came shortly after his controversial Saudi Pro League move ended.

The Black Cats’ youth-first footballing philosophy has earned acclaim across the English Football League, and has been the obvious source for their success this season, as evidenced in the play-off final.

Tuchel’s comments in defence of 83-time England international Henderson’s selection just so happen to be the perfect support for the claims of a potential Sunderland return.

After his England squad was announced with Henderson included, Tuchel told the press via Sky Sports News: “Once you speak to Jordan, it’s such an obvious choice.

“If you have a training exercise in different groups, and then the group where Jordan is, you can just turn your back, you don’t need to watch because he will take care of all the standards in this group.

“You don’t need to take care of this group, because he takes care of this group. Jordan takes care of standards, Jordan sets the standards.”

Tuchel added: “He’s vocal, he’s a natural leader, and the others follow, so he has this kind of ability and that’s why he’s with us, because he’s doing this in a very impressive way.

“He’s still playing on a decent level, and that’s why there was never a thought to drop him.”

Henderson’s leadership qualities and experience at the elite level would be the perfect, and necessary, addition to the youthful exuberance of Le Bris’ Sunderland squad ahead of a testing top flight return.

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Jordan Henderson’s Premier League experience will be vital for Sunderland

Black Cats ace Patrick Roberts has predicted Sunderland’s Premier League return will be tough, with many EFL fans predicting that Sunderland will struggle next season.

Adding Henderson’s Premier League experience to this Sunderland squad would be the perfect remedy to any fears of instant relegation.

Henderson would arrive back on Wearside with a Champions League and a Premier League winners’ medal in his trophy cabinet.

His importance to the squad, as evidenced by Tuchel’s praise, can be contextualised with his level of Premier League experience.

The 34-year-old midfielder, as per transfermarkt.com, has a total of 431 career Premier League appearances under his belt, 71 of those coming in his hometown’s red and white stripes.

Across the whole of the current Sunderland squad, their total of Premier League appearances amounts to 11, with Roberts having the most top flight games (six) after his time at Fulham, Manchester City and Norwich.

Sunderland’s squad is brimming with star quality akin to Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg, as well as Trai Hume and centre forward starlet Eliezer Mayenda.

However, each of those Black Cats stars are Premier League novices, and Henderson would be the obvious acquisition to solve that lack of experience ahead of next season’s battle to stave off demotion.