Five interesting things we learned from Kristjaan Speakman's end-of-season Sunderland review

Sunderland’s sporting director sat down with the Sunderland Echo and local media outlets last week to reflect on the club’s promotion to the Premier League and the challenge ahead.

A number of topics were discussed, including the summer transfer window. Here are the key things we learned from the discussion...

Sunderland will invest - but financial prudence will continue

Sunderland's sporting director was clear that the club understood the scale of the challenge in stepping up to the Premier League, with the last six clubs to win promotion relegated in the following campaign. Speakman spoke about needing to add quality to the group and it's clear that the club are prepared to invest significantly this summer. As such, Sunderland fans can expect four or five high-profile additions in a bid to bolster the starting XI, with some experience and depth added additionally through the loan and free agent market.

The general message, though, was clear. Promotion has given Sunderland a golden opportunity to establish themselves at the level in the next five to ten years, and there is a determination not to risk that with bad decisions and bad contracts that could damage the club beyond this season.

"We're going to make decisions that are in the best interests of the club to try and retain our position in the Premier League, while making decisions that don't negatively impact the club in the long term," Speakman said.

"I think we've seen before at Sunderland that if you don't consider those factors, how negative that can be in the long term."

Expect ambition, but expect it to be targeted - particularly as Speakman made clear that Sunderland will try and keep the squad as lean as possible again next season.

Sunderland will bolster Régis Le Bris's backroom staff this summer

Following the departure of Mike Dodds to Wycombe Wanderers in February, Sunderland opted against making significant further changes to their backroom staff at a crucial juncture in the season. Goalkeeping coach Alessandro Barcherini was handed additional responsibilities, while Tom Weal was brought in an short-term basis to work with Anthony Patterson and the senior goalkeepers.

Weal has since left the club and joined MK Dons, and Speakman confirmed that additions will be made this summer. Indeed it might well be that there are multiple additions, with the sporting director confirming that the staff has been left light in the closing stages of last season. promotion offers the club opportunities to bolster its operation further, and areas such as individual player development and set pieces could be looked it an a bid for additional expertise.

"Specifically around the coaching team, yeah, it's an area we need to ensure that we are fit for the Premier League," Speakman said.

"And as with the playing squad, that's different to what it looks like in the Championship."

Chris Mepham's Sunderland return is far from guaranteed

Speakman was coy about a potential return for Chris Mepham this summer, emphasising that the club were looking at a number of options for the central defensive position.

"What we're looking at is what the problem is [at Premier League level], and how do we solve that problem," Speakman said.

"I think that's the easiest way of describing it. Obviously, all the players who have been part of our journey this year are in the mix for that conversation."

Part of the reason for Speakman's non-committal response (aside from an understandable reluctance to talk about players not contracted to Sunderland) became clear days later, when Bournemouth included Mepham on their retained list for next season. That indicated that they have indeed taken up their option to extend his contract for another season. What at one stage could have been a free agent deal could now be a multi-million pound commitment, hence why Sunderland will take their time before proceeding. After losing his place for the play-off campaign, Mepham will also have a big decision to make about where is most likely to get regular playing time.

Sunderland will reopen contract talks with Dan Neil and Dennis Cirkin

No surprise here, but Speakman confirmed that new deals for the pair currently out of contract next summer would be a key priority this summer.

"There are a couple there whose contracts are reducing and we need to have a conversation around that and that will happen in the coming weeks," Speakman said.

Neil has been linked with a move to AS Roma, but Sunderland will hope that the prospect of leading his boyhood club into their first campaign back in the Premier League proves to be a major carrot. Speakman said discussions around the pair would be part of a broader summer contract review, and so fans can expect improved terms to be offered to a number of players.

Sunderland don't need to offload before they recruit

Speakman has a lot of work to do in finding new clubs for players who won't be part of Sunderland's plans for the upcoming season, but supporters will have been reassured to hear there is no need to lose players in order to free up financial room for recruitment.

"None of that would impact our Premier League squad for next season, and what we're aiming for in terms of the right number of players for us to be competitive," Speakman said.