Sunderland look set to lose Charlie Wyke ahead of the new League One season, with The Northern Echo reporting that he will turn down a new contract with Lee Johnson's side. 

Wyke put in a number of impressive displays for the Black Cats during the 2020/21 season, as he scored 30 goals in his 53 appearances.

But Sunderland fell short in their efforts to win promotion back into the Championship, as they were beaten by Lincoln City in their play-off semi-final on aggregate, much to the frustration of the Stadium of Light faithful.

Wyke's strong run of form in front of goal seemingly didn't go unnoticed though, with Scottish giants Celtic being one of the clubs keen on reaching an agreement to land his signature.

Whilst it had also been previously claimed that the likes of Cardiff City, Middlesbrough, Millwall and Nottingham Forest were also interested in signing the 28-year-old, who had been Sunderland's main attacking threat for the majority of the 2020/21 season.

But The Northern Echo have recently revealed that Wyke is set to turn down a new contract with Sunderland, with his current deal at the Stadium of Light being set to expire this month.

That same report claims that Celtic are increasingly confident that they can strike a deal to sign Wyke this summer, as they look to bolster their attacking options ahead of the new league campaign. It was a frustrating season for the Bhoys, as they lost their league title to arch rivals Rangers, and they'll be eager to wrestle back that title next term under the management of newly-appointed boss Ange Postecoglou.

For Sunderland though, it'll be a serious blow to their hopes of making a serious push for promotion into the Championship next season, and the club's supporters will be hoping that they can find a suitable replacement for Wyke during the summer transfer window.

With 30 goals to his name, his record in front of goal speaks for itself, and he'll leave a sizeable void in the Sunderland team next season, if his departure from the Stadium of Light is confirmed in the near future.

Therefore, it's vital that Lee Johnson is given the backing from the club's owners this summer, as the Sunderland boss needs the financial backing to strengthen his squad. The Black Cats have been somewhat of a 'sleeping giant' in League One for far too long now, and they need to get back on the right track next season by winning promotion.

There's no doubting it's a real blow for Sunderland to lose Wyke this summer as a forward that has scored 30 goals in a single season is tough to replace. So it's hugely important that they find a good enough replacement in the near future, otherwise they could be set for a frustrating season ahead.