Sunderland set to be 'snubbed' by free agent defender as ex-Leeds United and Liverpool men attract interest - plus Ipswich Town, Sheffield Wednesday updates

And while Sunderland remain among the favourites to lift the title come May, Lee Johnson and the club’s recruitment team remain on the lookout for new additions.

The Black Cats clinched a deal for Alex Pritchard last week but remain active in the transfer market ahead of the big kick-off on August 7.

Speaking last week when quizzed on transfers, head coach Johnson said: “We have actually got four or five current bids on the table for various positions so it’s not like we’re not moving.

“You always look at the transfer market and it's, are they affordable? Are they accessible and are they available? So you don’t bid for somebody unless you feel they are affordable accessible and available and obviously it depends on transfer fee. Agents fees as well and at the moment, I think agents have been pretty unrealistic with the climate to the levels of percentages they want.

“Inevitably, as time goes on the player starts getting a little bit anxious about ‘the other boys are training’ and all his mates are training and he’s not, and things start to move a little bit.

"So I’m confident in the majority of positions in our list and in our actions, but obviously it’s one thing acting on it and getting it over the line.

"What I would say is myself, Kristjian [Speakman], Jamie [McAllister], Luke Coles [analyst], James Young [head of data and analysis] and obviously Stuart Harvey [head of recruitment], we’ve been 7am till 11pm all summer thrashing all these out. I need a holiday!"

So who could be next through the door on Wearside? Here’s the latest transfer talk from around the Stadium of Light and League One...