Sunderland will strengthen their squad over the summer after reaching the play-offs in their first season back in the Championship. The Black Cats returned to the second tier after a four-year stay in League One and outperformed expectations as they finished sixth in the table.
Tony Mowbray's squad - the youngest in the division - had to cope with a catalogue of long-term injury problems to star men including Ross Stewart, Corry Evans, and Dan Ballard. Those injury issues exposed areas that need reinforcing next season, not least with the addition of at least one more cenntre-forward, and further central defensive cover.
Towards the end of the season, Mowbray said he had held talks with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and head of recruitment Stuart Harvey to make plans for the summer, and those plans will be finalised and acted upon before the new season begins. Sunderland are again likely to combine paid-for signings with free agents and loan additions to bolster their squad.
