Ahead of a trip to Oxford United this weekend, Jack Ross' Sunderland are well and truly in the hunt for automatic promotion from League One.

The Black Cats have adjusted to life in the third tier with ease after relegation from the Championship last term, and the £4million signing of Will Grigg on deadline day shows their determination to get out of this division.

But it seems that the Black Cats aren't done just yet as they look to climb back up the leagues, with recent reports from the Daily Record claiming that the Black Cats are amongst a host of EFL clubs interesting in signing Motherwell's Jake Hastie.

Scouts from Leeds United, Norwich City, Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion, as well as from Sunderland, were present to watch the exciting winger in action, as he took his tally up to eight goals for the season with a strike against St. Mirren on Wednesday night.

Here, we take a look at TWO reasons why Sunderland need to beat the likes of Leeds United in the race to sign Hastie...

Jack Ross' knowledge of Scottish football

Jack Ross' knowledge of the Scottish leagues is second to none, having managed Alloa and St. Mirren over the last four years.

His additions from Scotland have been magnificent this season - Dylan McGeouch has shown his class on more than one occasion since arriving from Hibernian in the summer, and his latest signing, Lewis Morgan from Celtic, hugely impressed on his debut against AFC Wimbledon last week.

Haskie could be yet another option at the Stadium of Light.

He could be the perfect long-term replacement for McGeady

Sunderland already have a plethora of magnificent attacking options in their ranks, none other than Aiden McGeady.

The winger has been influential for the Black Cats this term, scoring eight goals and producing five assists from midfield, and it's just a shame that he is now coming to the end of his career.

At the age of 32, Sunderland need to be preparing for life without McGeady in years to come, and Hastie could be the perfect replacement.