Alex Neil's side will face two challenging friendlies while in the Algarve, against Rangers on Saturday night and then Roma on Wednesday morning.Having played behind closed doors last weekend, this will be the first opportunity fans have had to take a closer look at their team since that famous Wembley win.With that in mind, we've taken a look at some of the key themes likely to emerge…
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1. DANIEL BALLARD'S DEBUT
Ballard knows he has a battle on his hands to break the Bailey Wright and Danny Batth partnership that ended last season in such outstanding form. The positive for Ballard is that his early arrival means he has just about a full pre-season campaign to build on his successful loan at Millwall. Described by his new head coach as 'mobile and aggressive', he has a great chance to make an early impression. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI
2. ROSS STEWART
Stewart was given an extended break after international duty but returned to Wearside last week and is likely to be involved over the course of the two friendlies in Portugal. Sunderland have a lot of transfer business to do but there would arguably be no bigger boost for supporters than a new contract for one of the central players in last season's promotion. Photo: FRANK REID 2022
3. HOW MIGHT SUNDERLAND SET UP THIS SEASON?
Neil admitted last season that he had deployed a back three in his short time at Sunderland more often than he had done in his entire managerial career previous. It was mainly because of the lopsided squad he inherited, that was lacking natural full backs and also had a lot of new arrivals in attacking positions short on match fitness to begin with. It felt notable, then, that as his options improved across the pitch he ended the campaign in what is to him a far more familiar 4-2-3-1 system. With Patrick Roberts in particular fit and firing ahead of the new campaign, it looks a good bet. Neil of course tinkers his game plan for each specific opponent, so we will no doubt see a number of different shapes and strategies over the course of pre-season. But these first two games might just offer an indication about his overarching vision for how Sunderland will tackle the step up. Photo: FRANK REID PHOTOGRAPHER 2022
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The Sunderland Echo is covering Sunderland's pre-season training camp in Portugal Photo: National World