Sunderland’s 12 highest rated FIFA 23 players revealed

EA’s last annual FIFA game hits shelves next week on Friday 30th September, but the release of the game’s companion app has allowed players to view the ratings of their favourite club’s players.

Sunderland supporters will have been anticipating some upgrades across the squad following the Black Cats’ promotion from League One to the Championship under Alex Neil last season.

The Wearsiders also have a host of new signings that fans will get the chance to play as in a Sunderland shirt this year, but not yet Jewison Bennette as the Costa Rican has yet to have been included. This should not be the case for long especially after the forward’s late equaliser at Watford last weekend.

Aiden McGeady was the club’s highest rated player in FIFA 22 with a 69 score, but with the former Celtic and Everton winger now with former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson at Hibernian, the top spot is up for grabs.

12. Edouard Michut – 66

The French teenager that recently arrived from PSG on a loan deal with an option to buy and was unveiled to the Sunderland faithful alongside fellow signings Bennette, Abdoullah Ba and Amad Diallo before the win over Rotherham United in Tony Mowbray’s first game.

Michut made his PSG debut in February 2021 and has mainly featured in the academy teams before moving to England.

Excitement is high around Michut’s arrival and Sunderland fans will have the chance to test his skills digitally in the upcoming game.

11. Lynden Gooch – 66

From a new face to a very familiar one, Lynden Gooch has acheieved the same rating as his new teammate from across the Channel.

The American Mackem was deployed in various positions last season but seems to have found his home at right wing-back and ended last season strongly.

Gooch has continued that form into the new campaign and opened his goal scoring account in the away defeat to Sheffield United with a delicate chip.

10. Luke O’Nien – 67

Arriving from Wycombe Wanderers in the summer of Sunderland’s first League One season in 2018, Luke O’Nien has established cult hero status at the Stadium of Light for his versatility, endless work rate and crunching tackles.

EA have decided to list O’Nien as a central defensive midfielder but as shown on the pitch the 27 year-old can fill in on the wing, at full back, further up midfield and most recently at centre-back.

The rating of 67 is an upgrade by one on O’Nien’s FIFA 22 score of 66.

9. Ellis Simms – 68

The new Sunderland number nine got off to a flying start to his loan spell from Everton with a brace at Bristol City securing a win in the Lads’ first away trip of the season.

At the age of 21, Simms has a lot of football ahead of him and is looking to follow in the goalscoring footsteps of last season’s loanee from the Toffees, Nathan Broadhead.

Simms has previously had loan spells at Hearts and Blackpool and will hope he can establish himself in the Championship this season.

8. Jack Clarke – 68

After a successful loan spell in the second half of last season, Jack Clarke is now properly a Sunderland player.

Brought in for a substantial fee from Tottenham Hotspur, Clarke has started the season well and most notably finished off the escellent team goal to put Sunderland 3-0 up away to Reading.

Clarke has been a winger for most of his short career with Spurs, Leeds and QPR but has been doing a stellar job defensively at left wing-back so far under both Neil and Mowbray.

7. Bailey Wright – 68

The Australian international has been a reliable presence in Sunderland’s defence since arriving from Bristol City and that is represented in his rating.

The 30 year-old brings Championship experience to a young side and can provide a calm head in the upcoming challenges.

Wright will be showing his ability on the international stage this winter as he is expected to be a member of the Australia squad for the upcoming World Cup.

6. Amad Diallo – 69

Another exciting loan acquisition this season from a giant of the game as Amad Diallo arrived from Manchester United.

The Ivorian winger joined Manchester United in January 2021 from Atalanta in Italy for a deal that could rise to £35 million and now the excitement around him comes to Wearside.

His pace and expert finishing ability could make him a favourite of those who play as Sunderland in this year’s game.

5. Patrick Roberts – 69

Patrick Roberts’ career has always felt on the verge of taking off, several loan spells after joining Manchester City as a teenager never quite helped the winger kick on.

Sunderland took on the former Fulham and Girona man on a short-term deal last season and the gamble paid off with Roberts scoring the winner in their play-off semi-final second leg away to Sheffield Wednesday and has started this season in impressive form.

At 25, Roberts may feel grateful to have finally found a place in football he can call home.

4 – Danny Batth – 69

Alongside Bailey Wright, Danny Batth provides experience at Championship level with the 31 year-old playing over 200 games for Wolves.

Much like others on this list, Batth arrived at the Stadium of Light last season and has secured his place in the starting 11 under both Alex Neil and Tony Mowbray.

Batth’s 69 rating is down one from last year’s game.

3. Dan Ballard – 70

The Norhtern Ireland international arrived for an undisclosed fee from Arsenal in the summer fending off competition from other Championship sides.

Ballard was attributed the 70 rating following an impressive loan spell at Milwall last season.

Sunderland fans will have a better chance of seeing him in the game than in real life as the defender picked up a broken foot early on in the season.

2. Alex Pritchard – 70

After taking a while to settle last season, Alex Pritchard found his feet in League One and provided the spark and quality Sunderland were missing in the absence of Aiden McGeady.

Goals and assists came in and carried over into this season as the former Tottenham and Huddersfield number 10 established himself as Sunderland’s main creative outlet.

His performances last season earned him an upgrade from 69 last year to a 70 this time around.

1. Ross Stewart – 70

The ‘Loch Ness Drogba’ as he is affectionately known to Sunderland fans had a blistering campaign in 21/22 scoring 26 in all competitions including the second in the 2-0 play-off final win over Wycombe at Wembley.

Stewart’s form before an unfortunate injury had people talking about a first Scotland call up, which will no doubt come later down the line.

The biggest upgrade of the bunch, Stewart has risen five ratings in this year’s game after being rated just 65 last year.