The January decisions Sunderland will need to make on Harrogate Town's Jack Diamond, Notts County's Anthony Patterson and Tranmere's Josh Hawkes assessed

Recent injuries and poor form have left some areas of the squad looking a little exposed, and more depth will no doubt be welcome for Lee Johnson.

As well as incoming business, the club will also have to make decisions on their three talented players out on loan.

Here, we look at how they're currently progressing, and what the Sunderland hierarchy will be weighing up as they edge towards a decision...

JACK DIAMOND

Sunderland made the call to loan out Diamond knowing that they were bringing in Leon Dajaku on loan, and in terms of game time it has proved a wise call.

Diamond has picked up where he left off at Harrogate Town, playing regularly and producing key contributions in their impressive start to the season.

If the Black Cats decide first-team minutes are still going to be hard to come by in the second half of the campaign, then it makes sense to allow the winger to stay with Simon Weaver's side until the end of the season as initially planned.

He is getting regular football under his belt, enjoying the responsibility of being a high-profile player within the team, and getting the time required to work on the consistency of his end product.

Sunderland will be monitoring developments closely, though.Aiden O'Brien has largely operated out wide this season, but was minutes away from joining Doncaster Rovers on loan on deadline day.

Dajaku has shown a real technical quality at times, but has struggled for consistency, while both Aiden McGeady and Lynden Gooch have seen the first half of their campaign affected by injury.

Sunderland face a demanding schedule between now and the January window opening, and a lot of transfer decisions will no doubt be informed by how their squad comes through that period.

The Black Cats have a huge amount of belief in Diamond's long-term potential to play at a higher level, as highlighted by their award of a new three-year deal earlier this year.

Their determination to ensure all young players get the 25 games (minimum) they feel they need to progress means right now, the most likely scenario is not to opt for a recall.

But if Johnson continues to struggle to draw consistent performances from his current options, or if injury does strike in the near future, it must be a thought at the back of his mind.

Diamond returned to Wearside for a couple of days training at the start of this week, allowing the coaching staff to take a close check on his progress.

The winger is match fit, confident and understands the playing style.

It may not be an option Sunderland ultimately take, but it's a good one to have.

ANTHONY PATTERSON

So far, Patterson's loan was gone just about perfectly to plan.

Notts County have been in excellent form of late, moving towards the upper end of the National League table.

Patterson has established himself as first-choice goalkeeper following his initial 28-day loan, a particularly impressive achievement given how highly Sam Slocombe is rated there, though the experienced goalkeeper has had some fitness issues.

It's the perfect environment for Patterson at the moment.

With David Preece having worked with head coach Ian Burchnall in Sweden, there is a strong link between the two clubs and a similar playing style.

Playing for a big club pushing for promotion is also excellent preparation for the challenges the young goalkeeper may face in the future.

Johnson has said he feels Patterson needs 20-25 games this season to progress, and at the moment he is well on track for that.

There could be some temptation to seek a League Two loan in January, but equally this seems to be an arrangement working well for everyone at the moment.

Patterson is putting himself in an excellent position to really challenge next season, when some changes in the goalkeeping department seem certain.

Lee Burge is out of contract, while Thorben Hoffmann's loan will expire (there is a clause to make that deal permanent).

JOSH HAWKES

Hawkes has made a positive impression for a Tranmere Rovers side currently in midtable, but still within striking distance of the play-off places.

The attacking midfielder has made some solid contributions, and crucially, made himself an important part of Micky Mellon's squad.

It's a key stage in his career. Though he arrived on Wearside to join the U23s squad, he already had extensive experience of senior football and at 22, he knows he needs that week in, week out.

At the moment, Tranmere are offering that.

Lee Johnson has no doubt that Hawkes is good enough to succeed at League One level and beyond, praising his excellent technical ability in the final third.

Hawkes showcased that with a fine finish in the Carabao Cup against Port Vale in the early weeks of the season.

Where has wanted to see natural progression is on the physical side of his game, and to that end Hawkes was deeply unfortunate to test positive for COVID-19 right at the start of pre-season.

Mellon noted that when he first arrived on loan, stating that he expected Hawkes to get better and better as the season goes on.

The 22-year-old's contract expires next summer, and that will be an important decision in terms of his next step.

For all parties, seeing the loan through to the end of the campaign seems like the best option.

It gives Hawkes the exposure he needs, and gives Sunderland a better chance of monitoring his progress and standard at a good level.

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