As recently as Friday, Lee Johnson said he was 'not necessarily' expecting a busy transfer deadline day.
Now he has paid the price for Saturday's 6-0 hammering at Bolton, and can take deadline day off altogether.
Johnson's sacking late last night means the club will be heading into deadline day with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and the recruitment team calling all the shots, and when the new head coach arrives he will take over with the transfer dealings all done.
Sunderland have already brought in four new faces - Patrick Roberts, Jack Clarke, Danny Batth, and Trai Hume - this month, and that meant it is now a case of filling in one or two gaps, the most urgent of which is to add a striker as competition and cover for Ross Stewart.
But Bolton exposed and exploited Sunderland's deficiencies, and the question that Speakman must wrestle with is whether the new head coach can address those problems on the training pitch or whether more reinforcements are required.
The need for another striker remains unarguable because unless they bring in backup, should anything happen to their 18-goal leading scorer Stewart they can forget about promotion.
Everton loanee Nathan Broadhead is not expected to return from injury until March and it would be too great a risk to try to muddle through.
Fan favourite Jermain Defoe has been linked with a return to Wearside for the past fortnight.
There have been talks between the club and the player but Johnson seemingly harboured reservations over bringing the ex-England international back to the club at the age of 39.
Now Johnson has gone, the chances of Defoe arriving have probably improved.
But the fact that he is a free agent means tonight's 11pm deadline is irrelevant in his case and it may be that, if he does join, it happens outside the window.
His quality and experience are not in doubt, but they must be weighed against his age and lack of football - just nine minutes' action for Rangers this season.
Many fans want to see Defoe back in red and white after his two-and-a-half year spell at the club in the Premier League, but whether it comes to fruition is another matter.
Elsewhere, Sunderland have been persistently linked with Northampton left-back Ali Koiki following Denver Hume's move to Portsmouth last week.
Given the struggles Dennis Cirkin had at Bolton, Koiki may be an option that Sunderland revisit on deadline day.
With Luke O'Nien still sidelined, Sunderland could also look to strengthen in central midfield where presently they are reliant on Corry Evans, Dan Neil, and Carl Winchester - and for much of the season Winchester has been asked to fill in at right-back.
As for outgoings, Aiden O'Brien almost joined Doncaster in the summer but it is unlikely he would be allowed to leave now - unless and until another striker arrives, at least.
There has also been talk of centre-back Arbenit Xhemajli going out on loan to get regular senior games now he has recovered from his long-term knee injury.
Jermain Defoe
The big will he/won't he of the window.
Defoe is available as a free agent after leaving Rangers this month, and he has indicated that he is open to a move back to Sunderland four-and-a-half years after departing Wearside.
The 39-year-old former Spurs and England man would be a popular signing, but whether he could play his part in the type of high-tempo, pressing game that Johnson wanted to play is another matter - although the new head coach may have different ideas.
In any case, a move for Defoe would not have to be completed before tonight's transfer deadline.
Ali Koiki
Sunderland have been mentioned as a possible suitor for Northampton left-back Koiki this month.
The 22-year-old former Burnley and Bristol Rovers man has also reportedly attracted interest from Preston North End in the Championship, and Sheffield Wednesday in League One.
Sunderland already have one left-back in Dennis Cirkin, and earlier in the window brought in youngster Trai Hume from Northern Ireland League side Linfield, so whether the Black Cats try to push through a deal for Koiki is open to question.
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