The 45-year-old was appointed as the Black Cats sporting director just two months before Kyril Louis-Dreyfus acquired a controlling stake in the club, and the chairman has since depended heavily on Speakman.

He has since signed several crucial players to Sunderland’s squad, bringing in the likes of Ross Stewart, Trai Hume, Jack Clarke and Alex Pritchard.

Speakman’s early transfer transaction performed wonderfully for the club and helped them earn promotion back to the Championship, while some of their players they got on the cheap are now worth millions.

However, the Black Cats have gone rapidly downhill this term and that is mostly owing to Speakman’s terrible decision-making.

The club have offloaded most of its senior players and have instead proceeded to sign young inexperienced youngsters such as Luis Hemir Semedo and Nectarios Triantis.

He then opted to sack Tony Mowbray and replace him with Michael Beale, before sacking him two months later and expecting Mike Dodds to take charge for the rest of the season.

Despite receiving high praise for his first few years at the Stadium of Light, Speakman has come under heavy criticism from supporters recently and has now been linked with a move away in the summer.

While these rumours have no real source and could be complete nonsense, many fans on social media are sharing their thoughts on his potential exit.

Kristjaan Speakman has been a ‘success’

Journalist Michael Graham is one of few who believe he has actually been a ‘success’ on Wearside, despite a terrible season.

He commented on X: “If Kristjaan Speakman does leave #SAFC this summer, he’ll surely leave a success? Been here three complete seasons, two of them good ones, and the club is significantly better now than it was the day he arrived. Had a bit of a ‘mare this season, but considering his time altogether it’s a success.”

Kristjaan Speakman has been at the very top for our most successful period for a very long time, and has brought in a lengthy list of players that will surely play in the Premier League.

Signing the likes of Jack Clarke, Dan Neil and Aji Alese has proven to be fantastic business, while his involvement in the transfer window might well net us over £50 million in the years to come.

Without Speakman, we wouldn’t have enjoyed the success we did last year. In fact, it was also him that brought in Mowbray and Alex Neil too.

Will we regret letting him leave?

There is no disputing that he has had a bad season this time round, and I am one who has been quite frustrated with him.

However, certainly the miracles he has performed up until this season has demonstrated that this season could potentially simply be a one-off and he should be given the chance to discover solutions to his blunders.

If he is the one guiding a move away then fair enough, but I think we could end up regretting it if we are forcing him out. I would give him the summer to turn things around, myself.

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