Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson says he has been contacted by the agents of several players, as those in the game look to secure their future amid the current uncertainty around the suspension of the football season.

That delay to the conclusion of the campaign means that it is highly unlikely the final matches will be completed until after the contracts for loan players and those that are in the final year of their deals with their clubs have expired.

As a result, there are plenty of players who are just facing questions over whether or not they can secure new contracts where they currently are, given the financial implications of football's suspension.

However, clubs themselves are also facing the challenging prospect of replacing any players who d leave this summer, in order to retain a competitive squad for when football does eventually resume, and it seems Parkinson is already starting to work towards that at the Stadium of Light.

Speaking to The Chronicle about his preparations for next season and the transfer window - whenever that may be - Parkinson said: "I've had a lot of agents calling me about players, but you know that a lot of the conversations are just preliminary discussions – sounding you out.

"But it has to continue because players at other clubs will be out of contract, and this is the time of year when those talks would normally start cranking up."

Explaining his mindset around these negotiations in the current climate, Parkinson continued: "Obviously it's very different this year but it pays to plan and be prepared for when we do get the go-ahead to play again.

"I just need to keep my ear to the ground in terms of what players might be available, what other clubs are doing with their players, and what have you."

Sunderland are currently seventh in the League One table, only outside the play-off places on goal difference, with eight games of their regular season still to be played at some point.

The Verdict

This is encouraging to see from Sunderland.

It is hard to picture it right now, but the fact is eventually football will resume again, and clubs will have to be prepared for that in order to avoid slipping down the divisions and putting themselves in even more financial difficulty.

That is something that the Black Cats look to be doing here by getting started on their search for potential signings, and it will be interesting to see in the future just who they are able to bring into the club, and whether those additions pay off for them on the pitch.