Sunderland AFC: 5 Premier League fringe players the club could make a late transfer move for | OneFootball

Sunderland eye a return to the Premier League and could look to sign some top-flight talent to help them achieve their goals.

Tony Mowbray's side returned to the Championship in style last season, a dramatic final-day finish saw the Black Cats secure a top-six finish at the expense of Blackburn Rovers.

While they were unable to go all the way and make it back-to-back promotions, they have been busy in the transfer window to attempt another promotion push with an emphasis on promising young talent.

Sunderland have already signed seven new players this window from across the continent as well as the Championship in a bid to embed a long-term plan for the club, on and off the field.

As the window entering its final chapter, Mowbray and co. may turn to the Premier League in hopes of tempting young talent or players on the fringes to move to the Stadium of Light to give their side an extra edge for the forthcoming season.

With star striker Ross Stewart ruled out of action until late September, attacking reinforcements would be welcomed at the Stadium of Light.

Mowbray has opted for a makeshift frontline so far this season with Bradley Dack leading the attack in the opening fixtures but an out-and-out striker with an eye for goal but would a much better fit.

The 24-year-old boasts Bundesliga and Europa Conference League experience in his recent stint with Basel last season, scoring five times from nine starts. In the Swiss Super League, he added to his tally with another 11 goals to his name in 30 games in what was a valuable experience on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.

An effective operator in the final third, Zeqiri is unlikely to gain many minutes for the Seagulls this term and would a useful option to lead the Sunderland attack, particularly in Stewart's absence.

Thomas Cannon

Sunderland have shown interest in the Everton forward earlier this window with the likes of Preston also looking to bring him back to Deepdale.

The heavy competition for his services, along with the Toffees looking to strengthen their own attacking department before letting him go, may make this a challenging move to complete.

Nevertheless, options do not get much better than Cannon after proving his worth at this level last season. The 20-year-old scored eight goals in 20 games for Preston in the second half of the campaign and will be hungry to add to his tally one way or another.

Bendegúz Bolla

Since the back end of last season, Sunderland have had to put out a makeshift backline with players playing in unorthodox positions due to injury and personnel issues.

Trai Hume has been the go-to right-back for the Black Cats this season with the likes of Lynden Gooch and Luke O'Nien able to fill in where necessary, however, are often preoccupied taking up other defensive positions.

A player yet to feature for his parent club, Wolves defender Bendegúz Bolla is an established Hungarian international, playing 32 times in the Swiss Super League for Grasshoppers last season.

A tendency to get forward - similarly to how Hume and Dennis Cirkin operate - the 23-year-old carries a threat at both ends of the field, registering five goal contributions last campaign. While a novice in regards to English football, his international pedigree would be a welcomed addition to a youthful backline and would provide competition and an opportunity for players to play in their true positions more frequently.

Bashir Humphreys

Coming off the back of his first full season in senior-level football, Humphreys played 12 times in the German second-tier with SC Paderborn and has since impressed on the international stage with England.

The defender started four times in his nation's U20 World Cup quest, keeping a clean sheet while scoring in a 3-2 win against Uruguay.

With Chelsea signing a wealth of young talent, it is unlikely the 20-year-old will get his big breakthrough with the London giants just yet and has already been linked with a Championship loan move to Coventry City earlier this window.

Sunderland's defence is currently light in numbers and as the youngest squad in the division, do not shy away from trusting young talent to perform on the big stage. A lack of centre-halves presents a fantastic opportunity for the youngster to stake his claim and get another season of regular minutes under his belt while competing at the top end of the league.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Sunderland have grown fond of tricky, talented wingers in recent times with the dangerous duo of Jack Clarke and Amad Diallo last season causing serious problems for Championship defenders.

Rak-Sakyi has been linked with a move to Sunderland via Alan Nixon with an injury to Patrick Roberts putting the need for a winger high on the agenda.

The 20-year-old, on loan from Crystal Palace, enjoyed a breakthrough year at Charlton Athletic, taking League One by storm.

The creative, dynamic winger scored 15 league goals with eight assists for the Addicks, his nimble footwork and quick dribbling getting the better of full-backs time and time again, showing no signs of struggle in adapting to the senior game.

A step up in quality is the logical next step for the young star with Palace keen to track his development - Sunderland, therefore, offers the perfect destination to showcase his talent and flourish in a side that loves to attack and dominate from the front.