Transfer rumours: Sunderland dealt twist in defender deal as mystery £1.3million bid launched - plus Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth updates

Lee Johnson has seen nine players depart over the course of the summer, while on three players have arrived at the Stadium of Light.

The additions of Alex Pritchard, Corry Evans and Callum Doyle represent a good start for the Black Cats, but there is no hiding from the fact that further new recruits are required.

Sunderland remain actively looking for defensive signings and have been linked with Tony Gallacher of Liverpool in recent days, with some claims that a deal was close.

And while Johnson wouldn’t comment on that individual earlier this week, he did admit that the club are ‘in the mix’ for a number of players.

"I've seen the media reports, we know of him [Gallacher]," he said.

"He's a player on a list of ten or twelve options.

"We always want two for every position, and the plan is always to go in with probably 20 senior players and maybe four of the better younger ones to supplement that.

"It's a long season and we saw how much those injuries affected us.

"We're in the market, and we'll see what happens.

"Sometimes these things can take a week, two weeks, sometimes they drop in a day.

"We're certainly in the mix for a few and depending on what has happened behind the scenes today, we'll see.

"Watch this space."

So who could be next to arrive at the Stadium of Light? We take a look.

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