Lee Johnson targets permanent and loan deals as Sunderland boss explains club's recruitment strategy

The Black Cats have brought in five new players this summer, with Dennis Cirkin, Alex Pritchard and Corry Evans moving to Wearside, while Callum Doyle and Frederik Alves have arrived on loan from Manchester City and West Ham respectively.

Johnson remains optimistic Sunderland can complete more deals in the coming weeks, with additional full-backs and another striker among his top priorities.

When asked if the club are looking at loan or permanent deals, Johnson told the Echo: “I think it will be a bit of both. We are looking to bring in quality so we’ll try and hold out as much as possible for that quality.

“I’m very happy, obviously I’ll know more than you what is going on behind the scenes and where we’re getting to and where I think we will get to.

“I’m very happy with the conversations and communications we’re having with various clubs and the quality that we’re talking about and hopefully we’re not too far off doing.”

Against Wigan and Port Vale in their first two matches of the season, Sunderland started in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with either Elliot Embleton or Pritchard operating in the No 10 position.

The Black Cats will have to assess Embleton’s fitness for this weekend’s trip to MK Dons after the playmaker picked up a knock, while Pritchard played 65 minutes at Port Vale in the Carabao Cup.

Johnson does believe both playmakers can start in the same team, though, and says the club’s recruitment strategy is based on players’ attributes which will allow them to be flexible.

“I think they could definitely fit in the same team,” replied Johnson when asked about Embleton and Pritchard.

“I think you could class Aiden McGeady as a sort of an 11 or 10, he’s often in between drifting inside.

“I certainly feel there are various shapes we can play, 4-2-2-2 or 3-4-3 that require two tens in those wide positions, obviously a 4-2-3-1.

“When we recruit, we recruit the attributes knowing we can be versatile within our team shapes and putting these players together.”

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