Sunderland have completed the signings of Connor Pye and Tom Chiabi, with the duo set to link up with the U21 squad initially.

The Black Cats are back in the Championship and there has been a focus on bringing in new additions to help Alex Neil as he looks to build a squad that can compete in the second tier.

However, the club have also moved to bring in some younger talents to develop, with an announcement this afternoon confirming the arrival of Pye and Chiabi.

Left-back Pye arrives from Morecambe after an undisclosed fee was agreed with the League One side for the 18-year-old, who had made his debut for the Shrimpers in the Papa John's Trophy last year.

Meanwhile, defensive midfielder Chiabi, who is 19, signs after he left Cardiff City in the summer, whilst he also had a spell with Millwall earlier in his career.

The pair are expected to be involved on Monday night as the Sunderland development side take on Aston Villa in a Premier League 2 fixture.

The verdict

With Pye and Chiabi unlikely to be involved in the first-team straight away these are not the signings that will excite most fans.

But, that doesn't mean it won't work out. The club deserve credit for looking to the future and they clearly think these players can make a big impact further down the line.

Now, it's down to the players to show what they can do in the U21s as they try to force their way into Neil's plans further down the line.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.