Sunderland fans send transfer message to Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, Kristjaan Speakman & Co ahead of big summer

Sunderland, who dropped out of the League One play-off places on Saturday, are battling for promotion back to the Championship, if they fail again they will be facing their fifth season in the third tier.

However the season pans out, transfer business will once again dominate on Wearside this summer and fans have been having their say.

In our latest Big SAFC Survey we asked fans which area of the squad needs strengthening the most, what the transfer priority should be in terms of player profiles and how much money needs to be spent.

Of those that responded, 41% wanted to see the club’s striking department strengthened.

Jermain Defoe retired last week while there is increasing interest in Ross Stewart, who has scored 22 goals this season and was rewarded with a Scotland call-up last week. Norwich City and Swansea City have both been credited with an interest in the striker.

Meanwhile, 35.6% of readers that responded to our survey wanted to see the defence bolstered in the summer.

Readers were also clear on what the transfer priority should be: 47.4% wanted to see players with experience of whichever division the club is playing in next season signed, whether it be League One or the Championship.

Permanent signings (95.2%) were also clearly favoured over loan players.

And fans also want to see the club’s ownership structure splash the cash, with 45.2% calling for £5m plus to be spent on improving the squad this summer.

Meanwhile, 25% thought the club should be looking to spend between £3m-£5m and 24% £1m to £3m.

A majority of fans still believe Sunderland can win promotion under the current ownership model structure at the Stadium of Light.

With 58.5% believing the squad should be good enough to win promotion, regardless of the owners, with 41.5% believing the complex ownership structure is holding the club back.

Promotion-chasing Sunderland were without a game last weekend as their League One game with Rotherham United was postponed after international call-ups.

They host Gillingham at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.

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