Sunderland should have major transfer worry - it could lead to a League One return: View | OneFootball

It has been an incredibly disappointing season for Sunderland in the Championship.

The Black Cats made the controversial decision to sack Tony Mowbray in December despite sitting in the top-six race at the time, replacing him with Michael Beale, and it is fair to say the move did not work out.

Beale was an unpopular appointment among Sunderland supporters, and he was sacked in February after winning just four of his 12 games in charge, with Mike Dodds taking over as interim head coach until the end of the season.

Dodds enjoyed a strong spell as caretaker following Mowbray's exit, but he has found it much tougher this time around, picking up just two wins from 12 games so far.

The Black Cats dropped down to 15th in the table after the 1-0 defeat at Watford on Saturday, and they finish the season against Sheffield Wednesday at the Stadium of Light this weekend.

The next managerial appointment will be the priority for owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus over the coming weeks, and a host of names have been linked with the role, including Alex Neil, Marek Papszun, Paul Heckingbottom, Steve Cooper, Will Still, Roy Keane, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, Scott Parker, Danny Rohl and Jermain Defoe.

Despite their underwhelming season, Sunderland are still an attractive proposition, but the new manager will face plenty of challenges, and the club could be vulnerable to losing a number of their key players this summer.

Many of Sunderland's stars are likely to be the subject of interest from elsewhere this summer, particularly Anthony Patterson, Dan Ballard, Jobe Bellingham and Jack Clarke.

Goalkeeper Patterson came through the Black Cats academy, and after another impressive season that has seen him keep 13 clean sheets in 46 appearances, he has been linked with Celtic, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Defender Ballard has previously attracted attention from West Ham United and Burnley, and the Northern Ireland international is likely to be on the radar of Premier League clubs once again this summer.

Midfielder Bellingham has enjoyed an excellent first season at the Stadium of Light after his move from Birmingham City, scoring seven goals and providing one assist in 46 appearances, and Newcastle United, Chelsea and Real Madrid are all said to be keeping tabs on him.

Winger Clarke has been Sunderland's best player this season, and Burnley, West Ham United, Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, Bournemouth, Leicester City, Southampton and Brentford have all been credited with an interest in him over the course of the campaign, while Lazio had two bids rejected in January.

The likes of Trai Hume, Dan Neil, Pierre Ekwah and Patrick Roberts could also have suitors this summer, and the prospect of some high-profile departures will be concerning for Black Cats supporters.

Major worry that Sunderland could go backwards

Sunderland have had a dismal second half of the season, winning just six of their last 24 league games, and that form has been despite having most of their key men in the team.

While any players who leave the club this summer will be replaced, losing such quality will be a big blow for the Black Cats, and it raises questions over whether the club could be involved in a relegation battle next season.

Should Sunderland lose to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, the Black Cats will finish just three points ahead of the Owls, underlining just how much they have declined in recent months - remember back to how doomed the South Yorkshire outfit looked under Xisco Munoz at the start of the season.

In the worst case scenario, Sunderland could end the season just seven points clear of the relegation zone, and it is not inconceivable that they could be in danger next term if players such as Patterson, Ballard, Bellingham and Clarke were to depart.

Louis-Dreyfus will be optimistic that the appointment of a new manager will mark the start of a bright new era for the club, but there is pressure on the owner to make the right choice after the failed Beale experiment.

Interim head coach Dodds insists that the Black Cats are in a strong negotiating position this summer, and he says that clubs will need to pay a "premium" for any of their best players.

Receiving some significant transfer fees will help to rebuild the squad and mitigate the impact of any exits, but with Sunderland persisting with their policy of bringing in younger players, there is no guarantee that the new signings will be a success.

Black Cats supporters will be hoping that better days are ahead next season, but poor form at the end of one campaign can often continue into the next, and it could only take a few departures this summer to accelerate their slide towards the relegation zone.