Alex Neil discusses whether Sunderland need to sign another central midfielder before the transfer window closes

They need another striker to ensure they have enough cover and competition for Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart, and you would think it is the same scenario at left back where Dennis Cirkin is currently the only specialist operator.

Though Neil is currently playing 3-5-2, that won't always be the case and so another wide forward could allow Jack Diamond to go out on loan.

One interesting position is central midfield because here Neil has four players with plenty to offer.

Corry Evans was outstanding in the run to promotion, Luke O'Nien showed his worth when marking Barry Bannan largely out of the play-off semi finals, while Dan Neil and Jay Matete have both shown dynamism and craft in making their first steps in the senior game.

The concern some supporters have about is the balance, as Evans is the only player truly comfortable playing in the holding role.

Which raises the obvious fear - what happens if he picks up an injury in what is an immensely challenging schedule?

The Echo asked Sunderland's head coach whether it was an area he would look to strengthen before the end of August.

The response suggested that while not his top priority, it was definitely something he was aware of.

"Jay Matete at the moment is a young lad who, he's had six months at Grimsby and six months at Fleetwood, and I still think we're trying to figure out exactly what he's going to be as a footballer," Neil said.

"I think he's probably in between a six and an eight to a certain extent.

"If you're talking about that specific deep-lying midfield role, Corry is a specialist at that isn't he. It's a bit like Alex Pritchard, there's a specialist number ten. You have other players who might not fit like that, they're a six/eight, a eight/ten or however you want to describe it.

"That doesn't just apply to central midfield, you get that all over the pitch and that variety can be really helpful for you as a team.

"If we're talking about specialist sixes, then I would see Corry as that and he does it extremely well.

"Will we get another, I think time will tell.

"What happens is you have your list of priorities and you work through it, in terms of where you need to try and strengthen," he added.

"So what might happen then is you might have five positions, and you might only have the luxury of getting four. I don't know exactly how that is going to look like. It might be three, it might be seven.

"It depends how much they cost, who is available, can we get it done, etc. etc. There's hundreds of things that go into it."

Though to be clear, Neil then added with a wry smile that there was 'no chance' of landing seven signings.

"That's me being eternally optimistic," he joked.

Neil has previously said that he has not at this stage considered a loan for Matete, who was not included in the first two matchday squads of the Championship season.