Sunderland will be hoping they can fire themselves into the automatic promotion places at the earliest of opportunities in League One. 

The Black Cats are currently sat seventh in the third tier standings, but are just three points adrift of second-placed Rotherham United heading towards the conclusion of this year's campaign.

They'll be hoping they can go one step better than last season, when they were beaten in the play-off final against Charlton Athletic at Wembley.

It could be an interesting summer ahead for Sunderland, as Phil Parkinson looks to build a squad capable of challenging at the highest level possible.

We look at FOUR Sunderland players who we could see leaving the club in the next few months.

Find out who they are, on the next page....

It has recently been claimed by TEAMtalk that Watmore is one of the Sunderland players that is attracting interest from Championship side Middlesbrough.

The winger has struggled for consistent game time with the Black Cats this season, and his time with the club has been disrupted with a number of injury problems.

Watmore is out-of-contract at the end of this year's campaign, and it remains to be seen if he has a long-term future at the Stadium of Light heading into the summer.

The defender is another player that is out-of-contract at the end of this year's campaign.

Ozturk has made 45 appearances in total for Sunderland, but has fallen behind the likes of Bailey Wright, Tom Flanagan, Joel Lynch and Jordan Willis in the pecking order in Phil Parkinson's plans.

It seems as though it's only a matter of time before he departs the club.

Sunderland have struggled from goals from their strikers this season, and one player that certainly is struggling for confidence in front of goal is Will Grigg.

The former Wigan man arrived for a fee believed to be in the region of £4m, but hasn't hit the heights that were expected of him as of yet.

Grigg only has three goals in 27 appearances for Sunderland this season, and if they were to win promotion into the Championship this term, then it wouldn't come as a surprise to see the club try and cash-in on him.

Gooch's future could be up in the air heading towards the summer, depending on which division they're playing their football in next season.

The 24-year-old has been hugely impressive this season, and has ten goals and two assists to his name in all competitions for Phil Parkinson's side.

He has been attracting interest from Middlesbrough according to TEAMtalk, and if he continues to impress during the remainder of the season, and Sunderland don't win promotion into the Championship, then it wouldn't come as a surprise to see him depart the Stadium of Light.