It has been a busy summer for Sunderland Football Club, as the Black Cats look to escape the realms of League One and make a long-awaited return to the Championship this term.

It has been a disappointing couple of years for Sunderland following their relegation from the Championship, and they have fallen short in their attempts of climbing back into the second-tier.

They were defeated in the League One play-off final in 2018/19, and last season, they could only manage an eighth-placed finish after the League One season was curtailed.

Quiz: 6 of these Sunderland facts are false – Can you identify them?

 

This time around, fans, staff and players alike will be hoping for a much more successful season, with Phil Parkinson looking to guide the club back up the leagues.

Parkinson has bolstered his squad with plenty of new faces this summer, with the likes of Aiden O'Brien, Bailey Wright, Remi Matthews and Danny Graham arriving at the club.

Some players have had to make way in order for others to arrive, and this could well be the case between now and the end of the transfer window as Parkinson looks to strengthen his squad even further.

Here, we take a look at three players we can see leaving the Stadium of Light before the 16th of October...

Aiden McGeady

This one looks to be a no-brainer.

McGeady isn't part of Phil Parkinson's plans, and he spend the second half of last season on loan in the Championship with Charlton Athletic.

Parkinson has recently insisted that he wants the player to move on this summer, despite McGeady wanting to stay and fight for his place in the team.

It's hard to see him remaining at the Stadium of Light beyond this transfer window, though.

Jack Diamond

Diamond spent last season on loan in the National League with Harrogate Town, playing an influential role in their promotion to the Football League.

Diamond scored four goals for Harrogate and was one of the best players in the fifth-tier last term, but he has been unable to properly force his way into Parkinson's plans since the start of the season.

The winger was absent from the squad that faced Bristol Rovers in the league and Hull City in the Carabao Cup, and his only game time this season came in the 8-1 win over Aston Villa in the EFL Trophy.

Another loan move away for the 20-year-old could be a possibility.

Will Grigg

With Aiden O'Brien and Danny Graham coming in to provide competition for Charlie Wyke up top, there's every chance that Grigg could leave this window.

The Northern Ireland international has scored only eight goals in 51 games for Sunderland since joining from Wigan for £4million, and he has failed to live up to expectations.

If an offer came in for him, even on a loan basis, you could see him moving on this window.