Even now, it's still surprising that Sunderland will be playing their football in the Premier League next season. When the Black Cats were thrashed 5-1 away at Tottenham Hotspur in early April, they were bottom of the table and some seven points from safety - it was a case of when and not if the Wearsiders would be relegated.
However, unexpected wins over Chelsea and Manchester United, as well as a draw away at eventual champions Manchester City made what appeared to be the impossible, possible. Amazingly, come the end of the final game of the campaign, Sunderland were 14th and five points above the drop zone.
It was all a little too close for comfort, though. Gus Poyet has already improved his squad with the signings of free agents Billy Jones, Jordi Gomez and Costel Pantilimon, yet having lost a handful of players, more arrivals are needed. Here, Sports Mole has picked out three players that would improve the playing squad at the Stadium of Light.
1. Marcos Alonso, Fiorentina
For the last two campaigns, Sunderland have borrowed left-backs. Tottenham's Danny Rose impressed during the 2012-13 campaign, so much so that a permanent deal was out of the question. He returned to White Hart Lane and was expected to be a part of the starting lineup, but injuries and a loss of form limited his number of appearances.
It took until January of this year, but he was replaced on Wearside by Alonso. The Spaniard made an instant impression on his debut in the League Cup semi-final victory over Manchester United and he'd continue that form throughout his stint.
Like Rose before him, though, the 23-year-old has now returned to his parent club, which in his case is Fiorentina. However, having struggled to establish himself in Florence, it's been reported that the former Real Madrid youngster is keen to rejoin Sunderland on a permanent basis. What's more, further claims have suggested that it will only take a bid of around £3m to convince Fiorentina into selling.
2. Darren Fletcher, Manchester United
It's probably fair to conclude that Jack Colback will not be given the best of welcomes when he returns to the Stadium of Light next season. The flame-haired midfielder allowed his contract to run down, but then after that, went on to join bitter rivals Newcastle United. He may be a boyhood fan of the Toon Army, but it's a move that will not have gone down too well with Sunderland supporters.
Craig Gardner has also jumped ship to West Bromwich Albion, while loanee Ki Sung-Yueng has returned to Swansea. As a result, the centre of the Sunderland midfield is a little on the light side at present. If the season were to start tomorrow, it's likely that Lee Cattermole and Liam Bridcutt would be Poyet's pairing in the engine room.
While Fletcher is a similar type of player in that he has seemingly unlimited stamina, the Scot would be a step up in class. The 30-year-old is a player with a wealth of experience that has the ability to pick out a pass, but with Ander Herrera having signed on at United and more midfielders expected to follow, he could be available relatively cheaply. Linking up with former teammates John O'Shea and Wes Brown may well appeal to Fletcher.
3. Moussa Sow, Fenerbahce
Without the impact made by England Under-21 international Connor Wickham towards the end of last season, Sunderland would be preparing for life in the Championship. The youngster scored five goals in Sunderland's final six games and with his contract due to expire next summer, it's been reported that Poyet is keen to tie him down to fresh terms.
Aside from that spell, Sunderland struggled for goals from an out and out centre-forward. Steven Fletcher spent more time on the treatment table, whereas Jozy Altidore was on the pitch, yet he could only score two goals in all competitions. Meanwhile, Fabio Borini, who shone on loan from Liverpool, is believed to want to prove his worth at Anfield, despite Sunderland being willing to pay £14m for his signature.
It all means that a striker is needed. He may never have played in the Premier League before, but Sow has all the attributes to cause problems for defences. His muscular physique and speed across the ground makes him difficult to mark, while he has also found the net on a regular basis for Fenerbahce and Lille before that. The 28-year-old is said to want a move to England and with a price tag of around £8m, would be worth the gamble.
