The big test that I think Sunderland passed in the January transfer window - and my one concern

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Sunderland concluded their January transfer window by concluding a loan move for Jayden Danns

With attention focused on Brighton's pursuit of Tommy Watson and the ongoing search for a new striker, one thing went a little under the radar on transfer deadline day.

One by one they filtered off the team coach and into The Riverside, confirmation that there would be no January moves for the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg, Dan Neil, Trai Hume et al. The doomsday scenario for all Sunderland supporters heading into the January window was that this brilliant young side and their achievements through the first half of the campaign would attract top-tier offers that both club and player would find hard to turn down. It never materialised, and if there is one fundamental success of Sunderland's January transfer window it is that they kept any disruption to their team and squad to a minimum. That owes much to their financial position and proactive contract management, but above all else it reflects the environment that has been built behind the scenes. None of Sunderland's best young players wanted to walk away from what they know is a special dressing room and a genuine opportunity to achieve a promotion this season. That should hearten Sunderland supporters that the future is bright, and the ability to resist what would have been lucrative offers on the club's part should not be underestimated.

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Sunderland had always been confident that they would be able to keep the squad together this month, even if there is a realism about what might happen should the club fail to secure promotion this season. The challenge, then, was to add some high-calibre players who could improve Régis Le Bris's options for what he called the 'final sprint' to the end of the campaign.

The arrival of Enzo Le Fée on an initial loan from AS Roma was a major statement of intent, and could still prove to be a genuine gamechanger in Sunderland's season. While Le Bris's influence was clearly key in convincing the Frenchman to drop down the Championship, it still required the board to sign off a major financial commitment between now and the end of the campaign. After a promising start, Le Fée delivered a superb display at Middlesbrough and was arguably the key difference between two closely-matched teams. There is still a lot of football to play but it could yet prove to be one of Sunderland's best and most significant transfer deals in recent memory. After all, he is yet to play in his strongest position and Le Bris does not even believe he has hit his best rhythm at this point.

The other key priority was to add another forward player capable of introducing immediate competition to Sunderland's frontline, and who could help develop a clinical edge that had at times been missing from the team's play over the course of the campaign. Here, Sunderland found the going far tougher. For proven strikers they found themselves competing either with promotion rivals bolstered by parachute payments, or in some cases with top-tier clubs in European competition. By the end of the window we saw a subtle but significant shift in approach, with Jayden Danns emerging as a candidate despite his limited senior experience. It should be said that this switch also came as Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda continued to impress, and their form would have made it difficult for any arrival to get into the side. Triggering the option to sign Isidor permanently means Sunderland have increasingly proven striking options under contract for next season already, a major step forward from this time a year ago.

Danns has built a huge reputation in football and has been around Liverpool's first team this season, and so it was regarded in the game as something of a coup when Sunderland moved quickly to secure his signature after he was made available for a loan late in the window. There would be one significant setback, though, as his medical revealed a back injury that could take some weeks to clear. At this stage the Black Cats had to decide whether to pull out of the deal or hope that the 19-year-old could still recover in time to make a significant impact on Sunderland's season. With little time to secure a strong alternative, they understandably went with the latter. The logic is that if they were to pick up an injury to Isidor or Mayenda, additional cover at the end of the campaign could be vital. And the introduction of a fresh player fit and raring to go in the closing weeks of the season could be crucial in a tight promotion race.

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Fully fit and ready to play, the addition of Danns would have made this a strong January transfer window for Sunderland and the situation is clearly far from ideal. The question now is whether the additions of Tom Cannon and Ben Brereton Diaz at Sheffield United, of Marcus Edwards at Burnley, gives Sunderland's rivals that edge in terms of depth and experience. There is no doubt that Sunderland will need a good run with injuries between now and the end of the campaign, especially in defence and on the left flank where Romaine Mundle and Tommy Watson will be needed to make a quick impact on their returns.

If they do, then Sunderland head into the final stretch of the campaign with at least two strong options in just about every position on the pitch. Le Fée's arrival means they undoubtedly come out of the window stronger than they entered, especially when you consider Salis Abdul Samed's return to fitness over the course of the month. That ultimately is the test of any transfer window. Whether it proves to be quite enough remains to be seen.

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