Dennis Cirkin arrived at Sunderland in August 2021 from Tottenham Hotspur and has become a huge presence in the side.
The left-back - with both Irish and Latvian connections - rose through the academy setup in North London for a decade, making the move to the Lads at the age of 19.
After helping the Lads achieve promotion from League One in 2022, Cirkin has gone on to establish his credentials in the Sky Bet Championship scoring five goals as the Lads finished sixth.
Cirkin is an England youth international, having represented all age groups up to Under-19 level.
