The next key priorities for Kristjaan Speakman at Sunderland explained after transfer window closes

The end of a hectic summer transfer window and an international break allows Sunderland a welcome chance to pause and reflect ahead of the next stage of the season.

As Tony Mowbray said in his post-match press conference on Saturday, there is now a valuable chance to ‘settle the group down’ after the various uncertainties and challenges of the previous month.

For both playing and off-field staff there will be in the next couple of days a chance to take a break and recharge, before preparations for QPR next weekend begin.

For Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, that pause will be quickly followed by work on the club’s next priorities following the end of the transfer window.

Here, we take a look at what some of those key tasks may well be…

MAKE A CALL ON FREE AGENT MIDFIELDERS 

It was broadly speaking a successful deadline day for Sunderland, adding some potential long-term assets and most importantly, the couple of strikers needed to ensure adequate depth for the months ahead.

Where they didn’t recruit, however, was in central midfield.

Tony Mowbray had spoken regularly in the weeks previous about making an addition there, given that Dan Neil and Pierre Ekwah are currently his only two fit and available players in that position. Corry Evans and Jay Matete are long-term absentees, both likely to be absent until around Christmas. 

Neil and Ekwah are having superb campaigns so far and are very much the first-choice options, but Mowbray was keen on the idea of having some experienced cover.

Sunderland’s first move after the transfer window is always to run a check on the free-agent market, to see if there are any viable options for any additional business.

The relaxation of the GBE work permit rules makes the market a little more enticing for clubs now, given that in the last couple of windows players from the continent were invariably non-starters as there was no chance of them meeting the criteria.

Given Sunderland’s usual method of working, it seems likely that they will go with what they have. With Adil Aouchiche arriving and Alex Pritchard staying, Sunderland’s options in the number ten position are strong and numerous and so they may feel that if they need to rotate, they can drop Jobe Bellingham into a deeper role.

That would be a gamble given his inexperience but it would also serve his long-term development as a player, as was the case when Neil dropped deep in Evans’ absence last season.

Sunderland’s general preference to run a lean squad and to trust youth means it’s unlikely that they’ll add further, but their methodical approach means it will be a discussion they have either already had or will be having behind the scenes this week.

SORT A NEW CONTRACT FOR PATRICK ROBERTS 

Following the departures of Danny Batth and Lynden Gooch, there are now only a handful of players in the final year of their Sunderland contract. 

In most cases, decisions are unlikely to be made until the end of the season. With Niall Huggins, both player and club are likely to want to see how his injury comeback goes before deciding what the next best step is. It will almost certainly be the same with Corry Evans.

Given Sunderland’s fairly clear willingness to let Alex Pritchard go in this window, it seems unlikely that he will be offered a new deal soon.

That leaves Patrick Roberts as the very obvious contract priority. 

The winger has taken on a role of added importance since Amad’s return to Manchester United, and is a fixture in Tony Mowbray’s starting XI. He is also a firm fan favourite, one of the most exciting players to watch in the Championship.

Southampton’s interest in Roberts around deadline day was a reminder of Sunderland’s vulnerability, and that they rejected that interest out of hand suggests they have no desire to let the 26-year-old go elsewhere.

They will have to move quickly then, to secure his future ahead of the January window. Roberts is known to be very happy and settled at the Stadium of Light and relishes the platform he has to showcase his talent, but Southampton’s move represents a challenge for Sunderland when talks step up. If teams with big budgets and Premier League ambitions are keen on Roberts either now or in future windows, then Sunderland will have to find a good offer. Roberts has been getting better and better since his arrival at the club and a new deal would be a big statement of intent after Ross Stewart’s departure, even if the end that made obvious business sense.

AND PLOT A FRESH DEAL FOR JACK CLARKE 

Deadline-day suggestions that Clarke is not happy at Sunderland were put very firmly in context by the winger’s brilliant display against Southampton 24 hours later and his buoyant post-match interview.

Like Roberts, Clarke loves it at Sunderland and is happy here for the foreseeable. 

At the height of Burnley’s summer interest, Mowbray spoke openly about how the 22-year-old understands the value of his prominent role in Sunderland’s team and as such in no rush to move on - particularly given his experience at Tottenham Hotspur earlier in his career.

Sunderland are in a very strong position given that Clarke still has almost three years to run on his current contract, but they have shown with the likes of Trai Hume and Dan Ballard that they like to reward progress with improved terms.

They would undoubtedly like to do the same with Clarke, and the question is whether they can over the coming months put together an offer tempting for the player to commit his longer-term future to the club.

Either way, the winger has shown that whatever noise there was in the summer, he is primed to play a massive part as Sunderland look to kick on again this season. 

SECURE ANY LOAN DEALS FOR YOUNGSTERS 

While the transfer window is closed for EFL clubs, there is still the option to loan players to the National League and below.

Once Sunderland’s injury list has cleared a touch and their deadline-day additions have begun training, the club may well feel that they can afford to let one or two of their U21 players get some experience in senior football.

Ellis Taylor looks like one potential candidate to get regular game time, while some of the more established members of the U21 group may get the chance for a loan as the players from last season’s very successful U18 side push up into the next age group.

SECURE KEY ACADEMY APPOINTMENT

U18 boss Adam Asghar is expected to depart for Southampton, where he will step up to manage their U21 group.

Asghar enjoyed a lot of success last season, as the U18 side pushed Manchester City all the way before falling just short of the title.

A lot of those players have now moved into the U21 group, but it underlines how important a role it is in the Academy.

The club have been advertising for Asghar’s replacement, and will no doubt step up that search in the weeks ahead.

START PLOTTING THE NEXT TRANSFER WINDOW

The work on future recruitment never really stops at Sunderland and so work will soon begin on plotting for the January transfer window, in terms of the positions they think they might need to recruit and who could potentially be perfect for those roles.

As we have seen over the last three years, there will also be constant work ongoing to try and identify any potential youngsters who could become big assets for the club over time.

Ross Stewart’s departure on deadline day for a strong fee should leave some room in the budget for January, at which point it will hopefully be a case of adding some extra quality to help the squad push into the upper reaches of the table.