It's an understatement to say that the mood at the Stadium of Light was flat come the end of the last Championship season, with Sunderland looking directionless on and off the pitch.
The doom and gloom that ended up engulfing the Black Cats led to a dire 16th placed finish being served up after the 46-game slog was over, as Regis Le Bris now aims to lead Sunderland into a far more positive campaign to come as the new manager in the pressurised hot-seat.
Alexandre Mendy joining the ranks this summer could give the Black Cats some much-needed firepower, but that statement move seems to have now reached a standstill.
Even though last season was one that many on Wearside will want to forget, there are players from that squad that will be expected to perform under the new French boss away from any incomings joining, like this promising midfielder.
Pierre Ekwah's time at Sunderland
Pierre Ekwah, like many of his colleagues at the Stadium of Light, had an up-and-down season on the whole donning a Sunderland strip last time out, but did still manage to show flashes of immense quality.
Only making 14 appearances during his debut season in the second tier, Ekwah became more of a key first-team presence during the following campaign, with 40 second-tier games under his belt.
The former West Ham United youth product would help himself to five goals and two assists, often regularly lining up in the side next to Dan Neil in the holding midfield spots of the starting XI, with two strikes even coming his way during an early season clash against Russell Martin's Southampton.
He was beginning to live up to his billing as an "outstanding" talent that was handed out to him by football journalist Josh Bunting when he was first starting to make an impression on Wearside, but it hasn't been all smooth sailing for the 22-year-old.
The promising Frenchman has found himself struggling for pre-season minutes as of late, owing to injury issues, whilst the Black Cats number 39 faded in and out of games towards the back-end of the gruelling 23/24 season, with his final day display seeing him be substituted off after offering very little in a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.
Still, the Championship outfit won't be tempted to sell him on – even with Udinese reportedly being a keen admirer – in the hope he has more in the tank ahead of a potential promotion charge to come, despite his value increasing to above Mendy's £4m price tag.
Ekwah's transfer value in 2024
Ekwah's valuation now stands at a pretty £5m, according to Football Transfers, with that £1m more than Mendy's reported price tag.
That's the case despite the current SM Caen man running away with the Ligue 2 golden boot last season in France, with 22 goals next to his name, which must have then piqued the interest of Le Bris' men.
Player
Value
1. Anthony Patterson
£10.3m
2. Jack Clarke
£7.1m
3. Jobe Bellingham
£6.9m
4. Trai Hume
£5.9m
5. Pierre Ekwah
£5m
Ekwah's bumped-up value means he just sneaks into the top five most profitable assets in Le Bris' camp currently, with the likes of Jack Clarke and Jobe Bellingham above him, who have been touted to move to luxurious new locations in the Premier League and beyond.
If Ekwah ends up coming into his own even more this season to come, that £5m price tag next to his name could go up even further, with his importance to the cause at the Stadium of Light potentially heightened if Clarke or Bellingham do move on.
Sunderland were also once in line to make a swoop for a cheaper striker target in the form of free agent Žan Vipotnik over Mendy, before his move to Swansea City was confirmed, but Le Bris will still go about constructing his new-look side, ahead of the new exciting second-tier campaign.
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