The key calls being made behind the scenes at Sunderland AFC following play-off defeat & what fans can expect

Sunderland's campaign came to a disappointed end on Tuesday night as they were beaten 2-0 by Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, but it has still been a memorable campaign in which the Black Cats have exceeded all pre-season expectations.

Attention will quickly turn to a big summer for the club, who will be looking to consolidate their progress and build towards an even stronger campaign next time around.

So what are the key early decisions that need to be made, and what can supporters expect?

Clarify Tony Mowbray's position - and move on

Sunderland's structure means that the head coach only plays a part in the wider recruitment process and the general footballing decisions made at the club, but the uncertainty surrounding Mowbray's position that has emerged over the last month and been magnified since the Luton defeat needs to be resolved.

If, and it would be a major shock, Sunderland were looking to move in a different direction - then they need the matter addressing quickly so that they can look towards next season. Mowbray, who has led the club with real integrity, also deserves that clarity.

If that is not the case, then the club's hierarchy need to clear the air and reassure Mowbray of their conviction in his work. It has been a superb campaign for the Black Cats but allowing this uncertainty to continue into the summer would risk losing so much of the positivity and the momentum generated over the closing weeks of the season.

Football matters such as this are ultimately the domain of Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman, but any decision of this magnitude would require board approval and therefore ultimately is the call of Chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.

Confirm the retained list

This will be a much more straightforward process than in recent seasons. The retained list will confirm that Danny Batth and Alex Pritchard are indeed under contract for next season, with Carl Winchester the only player out of contract as it stands.

Winchester will likely depart, having spent the season on loan at Shrewsbury Town.

The retained list will also offer clarity on the players in the upper age groups of the club's Academy.

Made a decision on Edouard Michut's future

While Amad is set to return to Manchester United, Sunderland have the option to trigger an option-to-buy clause in the deal they agreed with PSG to bring Edouard Michut to the club on loan last summer.

The question for Sunderland is not whether they feel Michut has the potential to be a long-term asset, because he clearly does, but whether they feel the fee they agreed reflects good value relative to the other work they need to do this summer.

It will also be a decision for Michut as to whether he is satisfied with the game time he has had this season, and whether he feels Wearside still represents the best place for the next phase of his career.

Michut's message on social media for fans on Wednesday night looked to strongly suggest that he will not be returning next season, as does the already significant piece of business the black Cats appear to be closing in on early this summer.

More on that next...

Initiate the recruitment process

Sunderland should be in a position to move quickly, here.

The budget for next season will be already in place, with the ownership structure far more stable and extensive planning for another Championship campaign already done.

Mowbray said ahead of the final day of the campaign that a number of young players from all over the world who the club felt could improve the squad for a Championship campaign. He has already himself offered some input on some of those targets.

Birmingham City midfielder Jobe Bellingham, who is has been a long-term target for the club, was in attendance for the first leg of the play-off semi final against Luton Town.

The wheels should in theory be able to turn pretty quickly this summer, and the potential Bellingham deal likely reflects that.

Identify the key contract situations to be addressed

Sunderland's significantly improved structure means that they are taking a much more pro-active approach to contract management, as seen when Dan Neil signed an improved deal earlier this season.

As such the process of extending deals continues all year round, but the summer of course offers a key opportunity to make progress. Though Ross Stewart's primary focus will be on looking to get fit for the start of the next campaign but his contract status remains unresolved and he is now heading into the final year of his deal.

Dennis Cirkin is another who the club will surely be looking to make progress with, given that the deal he signed when joining the club is due to expire next summer.

Sunderland may also look to reward some of their best performers this season, including Jack Clarke, with improved terms that reflect their development and potentially combat any Premier League interest in the medium term.

Plan for life without Amad

The defeat to Luton means that Amad will almost certainly not be back on Wearside next season. He will get the chance to impress Erik ten Hag in pre-season and if he is to go out on loan again, it will be to a top-tier division.

Sunderland will look to offer more playing time to Abdoullah Ba and Isaac Lihadji next season, but replacing Amad's quality will likely need further reinforcements.