It has already been a busy start to the transfer window for clubs in League One as they look to assemble squads which are capable of achieving a great deal of success at this level next season.

For Sunderland's sake, they will be hoping to banish the memories of the previous campaign by pushing on under the guidance of Lee Johnson.

The 40-year-old has already decided to make some drastic changes to his squad as a host of players have been allowed to leave the club in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, the Black Cats have crucially managed to tie down two of their key players to new contracts as Luke O'Nien and Aiden McGeady are both set to feature for the club next season.

With Johnson no longer able to call upon the services of Chris Maguire and Jordan Jones who recently returned to Rangers following the expiry of his loan deal, he may be about to bolster his attacking options if recent reports are anything to go by.

According to talkSPORT reporter Ian Abrahams, Sunderland are closing in on sealing a deal for Alex Pritchard.

The attacking midfielder is looking to finalise a move to the Stadium of Light after being released by Huddersfield Town earlier this year.

Pritchard will be determined to get his career back on track following a difficult spell with the Terriers.

Unable to live up to expectations during his stint at the John Smith's Stadium, the 28-year-old only managed to produce six direct goal contributions in 88 appearances for Huddersfield.

GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...

Although Pritchard has struggled considerably for consistency in recent years, he could potentially kick-start his career by sealing a move to Sunderland.

By featuring on a regular basis in a lower division, the attacking midfielder may be able to recapture the form which saw him score seven goals and provide 12 assists during the 2016/17 campaign for Norwich City.

Whereas he only managed to averaged a disappointing WhoScored match rating of 6.16 in the second-tier last season, Pritchard could benefit from the guidance of Johnson who has had a positive impact on a host of Sunderland players since being handed over the reins at the club.

Providing that the former Huddersfield man is capable of making a bright start to his spell at the Stadium of Light, he could help the Black Cats launch a bid for automatic promotion later this year.

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