Younes Kaboul has admitted he can’t wait to see Sunderland’s fans again and has called for them to help the club pick up where they left off at the end of last season.
The Frenchman formed a formidable partnership alongside Lamine Kone at the tail end of the last campaign as the Lads recorded just one defeat in 11 matches.
That solid foundation saw the Black Cats keep four clean sheets in their final eight games as they clawed themselves over the safety line to preserve their top-flight status for a 10th consecutive year.
But while last season’s heroics may be a distant memory to some, Kaboul has recalled the moment he was reduced to tears after the Everton victory, and has admitted he can’t wait to be back playing in front of Sunderland’s faithful again.
“We can’t wait to see them,” he said. “Last season what they gave us was something incredible and it’s something we will never forget.
“We are happy to be back for pre-season and now we are getting ready for the Man City game and hopefully we can carry on in the same spirit we left last season.
“Our target is to carry on with the same run that we finished the season on,” he continued. “I don’t like to look back but we have to learn from that and hopefully we can look forward and the future will be bright for us as well as the fans.”
