2 Sunderland summer transfer decisions facing Alex Neil when the window opens

Sunderland are firmly in the battle to secure a top six finish as Alex Neil looks to become the man to take them back to the Championship.

If the Black Cats fail to win promotion, it won’t be down to the Scottish manager, who was only appointed earlier this year.

However, it will be a different story next season, as the former Norwich chief will be judged after a full pre-season and summer window that will allow him to bring in his own players.

With that in mind, we look at TWO big decisions that Neil will be weighing up when the window opens…

Which loan players to keep

Of course, a lot of this will depend on what division the side are in, but there are a lot of loan players at the Stadium of Light.

The likes of Callum Doyle and Nathan Broadhead are exciting young talents who the club may look to bring back, whilst they would have a call to make on Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts.

If they aren’t going to stay, Neil’s squad is going to look weaker, so he needs to try and work out quickly who he wants to be part of his plans.

Whether to cash in on Dan Neil

The emergence of Dan Neil has been a real positive for Sunderland this season, with the midfielder having shown his quality.

Admittedly, he has had to be managed carefully in recent weeks but the 20-year-old is an exciting talent and you can understand why some top clubs, such as Aston Villa, have been credited with an interest in the player.

Of course, the Wearside outfit won’t want to sell but money can talk, particularly if Sunderland are in League One next season.

Alex Neil may think the cash can fund a rebuild if the right offer comes in, and it will be interesting to see what happens.

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