The transfer window is little under a month away, but that might be a long wait for Sunderland fans.

With just two wins in 10 matches, the Black Cats expected promotion push needs a big boost, quickly. Johnson, who last managed Bristol City, is not a manager who is known to affect a quick turnaround, rather a man for future-proofing. Over time, he is likely to be a top manager for Sunderland, but in the meantime, he needs to fix a few problems, quickly.

The Black Cats have scored just five goals in the last seven matches, with strikers Danny Graham and Will Grigg yet to net in the league. Charlie Wyke has bagged five, but chances have been at a premium too. They’re not creative enough, they’re not clinical enough and that could mean disappointment for the third season in a row unless they turn it around.

What of the takeover? It still hasn’t been completed yet and that might mean Johnson has to turn to free agents to bolster his squad. if that is the case, we’ve picked three currently without a club who could certainly do a job in the third tier, especially in a Lee Johnson side playing football as they do.

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