Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

As their season threatened to unravel after Christmas, a 6-0 hammering at the hands of Bolton Wanderers ensuring the Lee Johnson era ended with all the grace of a speeding car crashing into a tree trunk, even the most optimistic of Sunderland supporters must have realised how Phil Connors felt.  

Groundhog Day, once again, with Wearside home to thousands upon thousands of weary Bill Murrays. 

Sunderland slipped out of the play-offs altogether on February 19, a decisive goal from former Black Cat Connor Wickham extending MK Dons’ lead over their promotion rivals to five points. Four months on, MK Dons are bracing themselves for another season of third-tier football while Sunderland are potentially just 90 Wembley minutes away from the Promised Land.

Well, ok, the Premier League is but a distant pipe dream, but a return to the Championship is a start. 

It’s been quite the turnaround.

But with so many contracts expiring, with so many loanees in their ranks, Alex Neil’s starting XI could look very different when 2022/23 kicks off, even if Sunderland do defeat Wycombe Wanderers and exercise the ghosts of Charlton. 

On-loan quintet Jack Clarke, Callum Doyle, Nathan Broadhead, Leon Dajaku and Thorben Hoffmann are all due to depart, even if the latter two (summer arrivals from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich) have option-to-buy clauses in their deals.  

Hoffmann has lost his place to academy graduate Anthony Patterson following Neil’s appointment, while Dajaku has been far from prolific with four goals from 28 games. Everton-owned Broadhead, however, has proven to be far more reliable. Sunderland’s hopes of signing him on a permanent basis may depend on what happens to Everton over the next few days, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Solomon Rondon all-but certain to depart if the Toffees are condemned to relegation. 

The cultured Doyle, a player Neil believes has ‘huge potential’ would benefit from another season at the Stadium of Light. Football London, meanwhile, believe Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to offload one-time Leeds United starlet Jack Clarke, just three years after investing £9 million in the winger. Clarke, who set up Patrick Roberts’ decisive goal in the play-off semi-final victory over Sheffield Wednesday, is playing his best football in recent memory in the North East. 

Clarke staying could open the door for the high-earning Aiden McGeady to depart. Long-serving Lynden Gooch is a target for Portsmouth. And, after failing to score in 44 games this term, Neil may feel he could bring in an upgrade. Injury-hit Arbenit Xhemajli and Jordan Willis are unlikely to be retained, putting extra pressure on Sunderland to agree a new deal with the colossal Bailey Wright.

Patrick Roberts, meanwhile, has embraced a fresh start at this ‘huge club’, and Sunderland will give serious consideration to triggering the extension clause in his deal. 

Retaining Ross Stewart won’t be easy, however. Sunderland’s top scorer is entering the final 12 months of his deal. Rangers can offer European football if the ‘Loch Ness Drogba’ opts to swim upstream. Fellow suitors Norwich City go into 2022/23 once again as Championship title-favourites. One thing Sunderland have on their side, however, is the guarantee of regular first-team football. 

The absence of strikers linked with a move Sunderland – as Stewart’s possible successor – could perhaps be viewed as a sign that the club expect to retain their powerhouse number nine.

Sunderland tried to bring in Jonson Clarke-Harris in January, though that was a deal driven by Neil’s predecessor Johnson. Two exciting, low-cost, albeit short-term options may be Aston Villa starlet Louie Barry and Sheffield United’s England U19 ace Daniel Jebbison. Two players in need of regular game-time as they look to realise their vast potential. 

Tottenham target Harvey White is another loan option. 

Jebbison and White impressed during spells in League One this term, as did Oxford United’s midfield general Alex Gorrin. A steel-coated defensive shield, Gorrin would provide protection to a backline that has conceded 53 league goals in 2020/21. What’s more, he’d give even more freedom to the technically-gifted Dan Neil and Alex Pritchard. 

The potential departures of Doyle, Willis, Wright and Xhemajli mean reinforcements at centre-back are a must. Sunderland saw a £1 million bid rejected for Dion Sanderson last summer. Would Championship football be sufficient to lure the Wolves youngster back to the club where he played the best football of his career?

Per the Daily Mail, Sunderland director Kristjaan Speakman was determined to keep Sanderson on Wearside. 

Mark Beevers has been linked too but, like Posh team-mate Clarke-Harris, he was a Lee Johnson target. 

Gooch, Luke O’Nien, Carl Winchester and Trai Hume have all had spells at right-back this season. But, if promoted, Sunderland will need more stability in a key position. Exeter City’s Josh Key – subject of a £1 million bid last year – may find Championship football two good to turn down if the Black Cats come knocking again. 

Ryan Alebiosu’s agent – one Roberto di Fanti – admits that Sunderland are fans of the 20-year-old full-back. He could be another option with Arsenal listening to offers. And watch out for Mahlon Romeo, the Millwall-owned defender who emerged as a target for Sunderland before joining fellow League One giants Portsmouth. Romeu’s desire to stay down south, however, could become an issue again.

What is clear, however, is that all three would give Neil a more natural option on the right-hand side. Alebiosu feels like the most attainable, given Romeu’s preference for a southern club and Key’s recent promotion with Exeter.

In other news, Rangers star Kemar Roofe gets good luck message from Leeds ace Stuart Dallas, before Europa League final