Sunderland will be looking to bounce back from their defeat to Burton Albion when they host AFC Wimbledon at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
The Black Cats were unable to take their chances in their meeting with the Brewers as a stunning strike from Jonny Smith sealed all three points for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's side.
Having witnessed his side suffer their first setback of the 2021/22 campaign, it will be intriguing to see whether manager Lee Johnson decides to make any alterations to his squad for this weekend's meeting with the Dons.
Although the Black Cats are currently able to call upon the services of Lee Burge and Anthony Patterson, they could be about to bolster their goalkeeping options by swooping for a player who is currently a free-agent.
Sunderland Under-23 manager Elliott Dickman has revealed that the club are keen to add Jack McIntyre to their squad after they handed him the opportunity to impress during pre-season.
Whilst the former Everton keeper is expected to initially link up with the Black Cats' youth side if he opts to join the club, he will be looking to force his way into Johnson's plans by delivering the goods on a consistent basis at this level.
McIntyre featured for Sunderland in their Under-23 clash with Fulham earlier this week as his side suffered a 4-3 defeat in the Premier League 2 Division 2.
Speaking to Chronicle Live about McIntyre, Dickman said: "Jack has been with us for most of pre-season and he has done very well.
"We're trying to make it a permanent move, but it's not easy sometimes.
"He's still got things to work on, but he missed a lot of football due to an injury when he was at Everton."
GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...
Although it would be naïve to suggest that McIntyre will be able to immediately challenge Burge for a starting role at the Stadium of Light, this could turn out to be a shrewd bit of business by Sunderland if they are viewing the keeper as a long-term investment.
Whilst the Black Cats have already signed Jacob Carney this summer, McIntyre's arrival will provide some extra competition at youth level which may end up benefitting the development of both players.
With the transfer window set to close on August 31st, it will be interesting to see whether Johnson decides to follow up this particular swoop by signing some more fresh faces.
Providing that the Sunderland boss is able to nail his recruitment, he could potentially guide his side to a sustained push for promotion this season.
Read More - FA Cup 2021/22: Fixtures, Dates, Draws, Scores and Everything You Need To Know
