With rumours starting to circulate about an incoming £5 million bid for star midfielder Paddy McNair, Sunderland need to tread carefully with their transfer policy.

Multiple clubs are circling the Black Cats squad like vultures around an ill wildebeest. Certain players will have to be given over to the scavengers if the club is to survive financially. However, if Jack Ross is to turn the clubs fortunes around this season, they must be careful about which players they allow to leave. Paddy McNair is one who they can ill afford to have taken off their hands.

There are multiple players on Sunderland's books who are earning more than can be afforded. Even if they play regularly, it is hard to justify the wages of Lee Cattermole, Papy Djilobodji, Didier Ndong, Jack Rodwell, and Wahbi Khazri given the club will be in the third tier. McNair is rumoured to be earning a fraction of their salaries. However, as an indicator of the bloated wage structure, his supposed £20,000 per week is still considerably higher than the League One average.

For Sunderland to achieve promotion they will want to build a squad around McNair. It may prove a risky move, but, providing they can offload enough excess baggage, it could be manageable. Consequently, they should reject the current wave of offers for the Northern Irish international. There may come an offer they cannot say no to, but until then they should hold onto him for dear life.