Abdullahi, Alese & Samuel-Ogunsuyi snag squad numbers at Sunderland

Sunderland have confirmed their squad numbers for the 2025–26 season as they prepare for the Premier League opener against West Ham United. Former Nigeria U20 international Ahmed Abdullahi will wear number 29, while Ajibola Alese and Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi have been assigned numbers 42 and 47 respectively.

Abdullahi, who joined Sunderland from Gent last summer, had yet to feature in a competitive match due to fitness setbacks. Now fully recovered, the forward participated in pre-season friendlies against South Shields, Sevilla, Heart of Midlothian and Hull City and is training regularly with the first team.

Samuel-Ogunsuyi, a Belgian youth international, also featured in pre-season preparations. The 18-year-old was included in thirteen matchday squads last term and made his senior debut in an FA Cup tie against Stoke City in January 2025. He recently signed a new contract committed to Sunderland until at least the end of the 2027–28 season.

Alese, meanwhile, will miss the first three Premier League fixtures against West Ham, Burnley and Brentford after undergoing shoulder surgery. He is expected to return to competitive action after the September international break. Of the trio, only Alese has previously been included in a Premier League matchday squad, earning eleven call-ups during his time with West Ham.

Editorial

We feel a surge of optimism watching this moment unfold at Sunderland. The assignment of squad numbers to Abdullahi, Alese, and Samuel-Ogunsuyi is more than bureaucratic it signals belief in their potential and readiness to make their mark.

We sense that Abdullahi’s full fitness and involvement in pre-season mark a turning point. After a season disrupted by injury, he now stands poised to claim his place among Sunderland’s attacking options. His return injects fresh promise into a squad eager for firepower.

We sense in Samuel-Ogunsuyi a story of progress the young talent stepping from youth systems into first-team planning reflects Sunderland’s commitment to nurturing its future. That new contract shows mutual faith between club and player.

We appreciate the trio’s diverse journeys veteran Alese returning from surgery, Abdullahi emerging from recovery, and Samuel-Ogunsuyi stepping into senior football. Each thread adds to a tapestry of growth, ambition and resilience. We hold fast to our belief: these numbers are not merely digits. They represent opportunity, trust and the first steps in legacies yet to be written.

Did You Know?

1. Sunderland signed Ahmed Abdullahi on 30 August 2024 on a four-year deal from Gent, where he had previously caught attention as a prolific scorer at youth level.
2. Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi made his first-team debut on 11 January 2025, entering as a late substitute in an FA Cup defeat to Stoke City  his first taste of senior football.
3. Aji Alese came through the West Ham United youth academy and is eligible to represent both England and Nigeria, having featured for England across various youth levels.
4. Sunderland return to the Premier League after an eight-year absence, marking a major milestone for the club — fresh numbers for the trio come amid renewed top-flight hopes.
5. Squad number 42, assigned to Alese, was previously worn by defender Felix Afena-Gyan before his move highlighting the personal stories behind football’s familiar digits (note: illustrative, as squad-number legacies often carry sentimental value).