Don Hutchison says the Black Cats have to survive this season if they want to flourish
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris(Image: Getty Images)
Former Sunderland and Scotland midfielder Don Hutchison believes the Black Cats will only truly know how successful their summer transfer activity has been when the Premier League season gets under way.
The Wearsiders have been active in the window, but while Hutchison feels it's inevitable that they have had to target 'under-the-radar' signings, we'll only know how good they are when they face the challenge of top-flight football.
“I think Sunderland are in the middle of a transfer window where they have to add numbers to their squad," he told BestBettingSites.
"I’m not sure any of the players they’ve brought in so far will really blow anyone away.
“Because they’ve just come up, they need to find those players who are a little under the radar, not attracting the biggest sides.
"They’re not going to get any huge names through the door, so they have to be a bit cute about how they do their business.
"They will be looking at their data and analytics, finding players with potential who are going to grow at Sunderland.
“It’s hard, because they have to find players who will do well in the Premier League, but who can cope in the Championship if they go down. These are the calculations they’re doing, and it’s vital especially in the first year of the Premier League.
“The most important thing is that they stay up. From there, they can build, they could establish themselves like Crystal Palace or Fulham. They need to stop being a yo-yo club, and as one of my former clubs, I really hope they stay up.
“I know it’ll be hard, the stats show that it’s such a tough task for any club. But someone has to break that mold, and why not Sunderland?"
Don Hutchison pictured playing for Sunderland in 2000
Former Sunderland midfielder Don Hutchison(Image: Jamie McDonald /Allsport)
The Black Cats have been linked with a move for former Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, who is now a free agent after leaving the Foxes at the end of last season - and Hutchison feels he would suit Sunderland.
“Jamie Vardy is someone who would massively suit a move to Sunderland,” he added. “I think Wilson Isidor is an excellent player who’s already at Sunderland, and they’re building a decent team there.
“But what sides need when they get to the Premier League is someone who has been there and done it. Vardy’s won the league before, he’s always scored goals.
“After leaving Leicester, he’ll be chomping at the bit to show that he can still do it.
“They might need to juggle the contract, give him £50 grand a week and maybe the same again for a win bonus to make it work, to give him an extra incentive. If they give him a bonus if they stay up, that could work too. I think for Vardy, Sunderland are a really good fit for him.”