Things aren’t looking good for Sunderland in the Sky Bet Championship, with it looking likely that Chris Coleman’s side will be playing in the third tier of English football next season.

Sunderland have really struggled in recent years and look like falling through the trap door after a disappointing year back in the Championship.

The squad available to Coleman at the Stadium of Light has quality, but unfortunately for Sunderland, they haven’t clicked and lack the togetherness required to move forward.

The likelihood is that Sunderland will be planning for League One next season, which means the summer is going to be a key one for the club, as they look to get players on board to help them climb back up the footballing ladder.

With that in mind, we take a look at Sunderland’s midfield, identifying FOUR players Coleman could look to sign that would be a huge upgrade on Lee Cattermole…

O’Kane has been good during spells over the last two years at Leeds United, but ultimately, he isn’t good enough to carry the Whites to promotion.

League One could well be the Irishman’s level and he could be a good addition to Sunderland’s squad.

Jones has featured regularly in Sheffield Wednesday’s midfield, but Jos Luhukay might not use him when he has a full quota of players available.

A move to League One and the Stadium of Light could suit the experienced midfielder.

Whether Colback would take the step down into League One with Sunderland is up for debate, but he’d be a good addition.

Colback knows Sunderland well and could be a good addition to a squad preparing for League One.

Vaughan is another former Sunderland player, who would be a shrewd re-addition at the Stadium of Light.

Next year, Sunderland need a good mix of youth and experience – Vaughan would bring plenty of the latter.