Sunderland manager Simon Grayson has made plain his desire to add further depth to his Black Cats squad ahead of the rest of the Championship season, via The Shields Gazette.

The 47-year-old took over at the Stadium of Light back in June following a hugely successful time at Preston North End, and has made a promising start to life in the North East with four points from his first two league games in charge.

The Black Cats drew 1-1 at home to Derby County on the opening day before sealing an impressive 3-1 victory over Norwich City on Sunday, with a 1-0 success at Bury in the Carabao Cup sandwiched in between those results.

And the former Leeds chief has also been busy adding to his squad in the transfer market, with the likes of James Vaughan, Lewis Grabban, and Aiden McGeady through the door, but with several players also having left the club over the summer, Grayson has made plain his desire to deepen his squad between now and August 31.

He said: ‘You need good depth and at this moment in time we are probably not at the level I would like to be with the strength in depth.

‘Somewhere down the line though I’m sure we will suffer injuries and suspensions and that is where your strength and depth will come in.’

And when asked about how many signings he'd like to make, Grayson said: 'As many as I can!'

These comments are sure to intrigue Sunderland supporters, who have seen their side make a fine start to the new Championship season, despite all the doom and gloom surrounding the club at the conclusion of their disastrous Premier League campaign.

And Grayson and his squad will hope to continue their bright start when they visit Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow evening, but whether he is indeed able to bring in further additions between now and August 31 remains to be seen.

The Verdict: Sunderland manager Simon Grayson has added seven new players to his Black Cats squad this summer, yet still feels that greater depth is needed to deal with the rigorous demands of a Championship campaign.

And that is likely down to the sheer number of players that have left the club over the summer, with the likes of Joleon Lescott and Jan Kirchhoff released, Jermain Defoe and Jordan Pickford sold, and Fabio Borini and Jeremain Lens loaned out (albeit unlikely to return).

Ultimately, options are needed throughout a Championship season - there are often three games a week, and a decent enough run in either the Carabao Cup or FA Cup would only increase the pressure on the squad.

Thus, Sunderland fans can probably expect a few more additions between now and the August 31 deadline.

Sunderland fans… what do you make of Grayson’s comments? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!