Some transfer sagas also dragged on and on over large portions of time whilst some links just wouldn't go away despite little interest from either side.
From Gazza and David Beckham to Jan Koller and Nathan Broadhead, we take a look at the Sunderland rumours, transfer sagas, near misses and forgotten targets that didn't end up happening for whatever reason.
5. Charles N'Zogbia
Charles N'Zogbia was heavily linked with a move to Sunderland several times and even played for the club in a friendly match against Rotherham United. The ex-Newcastle United man never did end up signing for the Wearsiders permanently, though! Photo: Lynne Cameron
6. Paul Gascoigne
In the Premier Passions documentary, Paul Gascoigne's name is mentioned as a transfer target by Sunderland's then-hierarchy in a meeting with supporters' groups. Photo: Simon Bruty
7. Paul Scholes
In the Premier Passions documentary, Paul Scholes' name is mentioned as a transfer target by Sunderland's then-hierarchy in a meeting with supporters' groups. Photo: Matthew Peters
8. Jan Koller
The tall striker was consistently linked with a move to Sunderland as Niall Quinn's replacement but the deal was never close. Photo: Michael Cooper