After seeing his side miss out on promotion to the Championship via the play-offs last month, Sunderland manager Lee Johnson has already launched a major overhaul of his squad by releasing a host of players.
Whilst the 40-year-old will be keen to keep the likes of Charlie Wyke, Luke O'Nien and Aiden McGeady at the club this summer, there is no guarantee that this particular trio will sign new deals.
With the summer transfer window set to officially open tomorrow, it will be intriguing to see what approach Sunderland decide to take in terms of recruitment.
Whereas the Black Cats could potentially draft in some hidden gems by targeting the free agent market, they will also be tempted to send out a signal of intent to the rest of League One by spending a big fee on a player who has illustrated some real signs of promise at this level.
A report from the Daily Mail earlier this month revealed that Sunderland were considering submitting an offer for Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Dion Sanderson who spent the previous campaign on loan at the Stadium of Light.
With Bruno Lage set to be appointed as Wolves' new manager, an update has now emerged regarding Sanderson's future.
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According to Football Insider, the Wanderers are willing to let the defender leave on a permanent deal as they look to rebuild their squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
With Sunderland looking to secure Sanderson's services, it is understood that they could potentially complete a deal if they offer over £2m for the 21-year-old.
GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...
When you consider just how impressive Sanderson was at times during the previous campaign, the news that Wolves are seemingly willing to let him go will be a massive boost for the Black Cats.
Voted as Sunderland's Young Player of the Season by the club's supporters last month, the defender illustrated that he is more than capable of competing at League One level by averaging a respectable WhoScored match rating of 6.72.
After missing the club's play-off semi-final clashes with Lincoln City due to a back injury, Sanderson may feel as if he has unfinished business to take care of at the Stadium of Light.
Therefore, it wouldn't be at all surprising if Sunderland are able to persuade him to make a permanent move to the club this summer by offering him the chance to spearhead a promotion push next season.
Whilst the Black Cats will have to pay a sizeable fee to seal a deal for Sanderson, he clearly has the potential to become a classy operator and thus it could be worth splashing the cash on him.
Read More - Everything you need to know about the summer transfer window!