Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini has weighed in on manager Regis le Bris' plans for a more settled squad this summer, offering a hopeful outlook for Black Cats fans. Speaking with BBC Radio Newcastle's Nick Barnes and Simon Pryde, Gabbiadini reflected on a whirlwind 2023 transfer window that saw 14 new faces arrive at the Stadium of Light—a flurry of activity that helped the club secure a midtable finish in their first season back in the Premier League.

This time around, the approach is expected to be far more measured. Le Bris is aiming for just a few targeted additions to bolster a squad that has already built strong chemistry. "This season gives us a strong platform with 14 new signings," Le Bris explained. "The connection and performances have been good. There is room for improvement, but it's important to build on the foundations we have created together. We feel we have so much more to do with this club. It's still important to add two, three, or four players to help the starting XI and the 16-man core of the squad."

Gabbiadini echoed that sentiment, praising last summer's business even if the names weren't always blockbuster ones. "It was an incredible summer," he said. "They weren't exactly household names, but you could see where the ideas were coming from—and Granit Xhaka was the icing on the cake. Keeping those players first and foremost is going to be the biggest part of the summer, and then it goes into adding something to it. Four sounds pretty conservative, but it would certainly help. Some managers don't like a big squad."

The former striker also highlighted the need for flexibility, noting that a smaller squad requires quick reactions in the transfer window if injuries strike. "You have to be reactionary if you have a small squad and something happens injury-wise," he added. "But it should be an easier summer for us, and you'd like to think more players will want to come to a club like Sunderland after seeing what we've done this season."

For Sunderland fans, the promise of stability—and a calmer summer—could be just what the club needs to take the next step forward.