Set to face another year in the third-tier of English football, Sunderland will be hoping that manager Lee Johnson will be able to guide them to promotion during the upcoming campaign.
Whereas the Black Cats were able to illustrate some signs of promise last season, their dream of securing a return to the Championship was shattered by Lincoln City who defeated them in the play-offs in May.
Having dusted themselves down from this particular setback, it will be intriguing to see whether Sunderland are able to assemble a squad which is capable of challenging for a top-two finish next year.
Whereas the Black Cats will be able to call upon the services of Aiden McGeady after the winger opted to sign a new one-year deal at the Stadium of Light yesterday, they may need to bolster their options at centre-back this summer.
One of the defenders who has been heavily linked with a move back to the club in recent weeks is Dion Sanderson.
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A report from the Daily Mail last month revealed that Wolverhampton Wanderers had rejected a £1m bid from Sunderland for the 21-year-old.
It is understood that Bruno Lage's side will be only willing to part ways with Sanderson if a club matches their £2m valuation.
Sunderland will now be facing a battle to secure the services of the defender as this particular transfer saga has taken a fresh twist.
According to the Daily Mail, the Black Cats' arch-rivals Newcastle United have reportedly submitted a £1.5m bid as they look to seal a deal for Sanderson.
Whereas it is expected that this particular offer will be rejected by Wolves, the Magpies' interest in the defender could force Sunderland to step up their pursuit.
GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...
The Black Cats will unquestionably be concerned by this latest update as they could find it extremely difficult to persuade Sanderson to make a permanent switch to the Stadium of Light due to Newcastle's decision to enter the race for his signature.
With Birmingham City also being touted as a potential suitor for the defender, Sunderland will need to act quickly if they are to have any chance of completing this particular deal.
Having illustrated during the previous campaign that he is more than capable of competing at League One level by averaging a WhoScored match rating of 6.72, Sanderson could play a pivotal role for Johnson's side next season if he opts to rejoin the club.
Whereas he will not be guaranteed regular first-team football at Newcastle due to the presence of Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar and Ciaran Clark, a move to Sunderland could allow him to make considerable strides in terms of his development as he will almost certainly feature on a regular basis in the third-tier.
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