Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has taken to Twitter to call for patience amongst the fanbase and reassure them that plans are in place for next season.

Donald is still in talks with a consortium led by American investor Mark Campbell over the prospect of selling his majority share in the club.

Despite that, he remains committed to success on the pitch and has responded to fans who are worried about the club's situation on and off the field.

With pre-season looming for the squad, one fan took to Twitter asking if he was right to feel concerned, to which Donald responded:

''No. We had a squad that finished 5th and need to collect around 10 more points than last season. Any new signings are coming into a more settled environment and we probably need around 6/8 new players this season."

However, it could be possible that the takeover talk is distracting from getting signings done. Reece James chose to turn down a new contract offer in favour of Doncaster, whilst long-term transfer target Freddie Ladapo today signed for Rotherham.

Donald also provided an update in regard to the ownership future, stating he is in the process of making sure any new investors are right for the club. He added "We do not need it now it's for the future so no hurry but it may happen," which indicates that his plans for the transfer window will happen regardless of any further investment into the club.

The Verdict

This should provide reassurance for Sunderland despite the lack of activity on the transfer front. Whilst it is frustrating to miss out on a target like Ladapo to a rival, the club is much more stable than this time last year and the owner has a point when he says the club only need a few more points next season for promotion.

The possible takeover is no doubt slowing things down, but as soon as that is resolved Sunderland will begin bringing players in, if not before, and if they get the amount Donald wants they will have a very strong squad next season.