Sunderland’s clear Jobe Bellingham and Dan Neil transfer stance a sign of things to come

Sunderland may have struggled to break down a poor Plymouth Argyle side in their most recent Championship outing but the Black Cats are still among the chasing pack looking to win automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

Red and white supporters would have snapped your hand off the be in this position at this stage of the season, given how disappointing the end to the previous campaign was. Just five points behind league leaders Leeds United, the Wearsiders are still within touching distance of top spot having

Regis Le Bris’ side have already bolstered their ranks with the exciting signing of Enzo Le Fee earlier this month and remain hopeful of bringing in a forward before the transfer window closes later this month. The arrival of the French playmaker on a loan deal, which will become a permanent one if the club is to win promotion back to the Premier League, a real statement of intent from the Black Cats hierarchy

• Bolstering their forward line this month has to be a priority given Nazariy Rusyn’s departure for Hadjuk Split, thinning their options up front. Sunderland have been linked with a number of strikers this month, but the likes of Louie Barry and Tom Cannon have sealed moves elsewhere this month, with the latter joining promotion rivals Sheffield United alongside Ben Brereton Diaz.
• Chris Wilder’s Blades have been the most active in terms of the Championship front runners, bolstering their forward line ahead of deadline day. The Black Cats may not have the money to compete directly with the Yorkshire outfit but their transfer priorities are entirely different.Sunderland’s model of recruiting young talent in order to sell on for profit and reinvest into the club is finally starting to bear fruit. The Black Cats cashed in on Jack Clarke in the summer with Romaine Mundle showing he was a more than reliable deputy.