Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has warned Black Cats boss Lee Johnson about the issues of bringing in too many players this summer, in an interview with Football Insider.

The Wearside club have struggled to get going in this summer's transfer market thus far - a stark contrast to other League One promotion rivals including Ipswich Town who secured their ninth and ten signings of the window yesterday as George Edmundson and Conor Chaplin arrived at Portman Road permanently.

At the Stadium of Light, only Alex Pritchard, Corry Evans and Callum Doyle (loan) have come in so far but manager Johnson is now more confident in getting a few more signings over the line in the next couple of weeks.

Football League World understands they are currently preparing to launch an offer for Motherwell right-back Stephen O'Donnell, who would be much-needed after the departure of Conor McLaughlin in the summer.

But the Black Cats will also be focusing on their central midfielder and forward area, with work still to do on the former after the arrival of Corry Evans.

Manchester United midfielder Ethan Galbraith has been linked with a loan move to the third-tier side in recent times, although the Red Devils' boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is waiting for the return of some of his key players from the European Championships before potentially sending him out on a temporary move.

And with the summer departure of Charlie Wyke, who scored 26 league goals last season, a top-quality striker will be at the top of Sunderland's transfer agenda as they approach the new season.

Despite this need for incomings though, former Black Cats player Kevin Phillips has warned against making too many signings before the end of August for the sake of squad morale.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: "I think sometimes you need to be a bit careful bringing in too many players.

"Then you’ve got to try and keep everyone happy if things are not going particularly well.

"It could possibly be a decent move but I think it’s about trying to get the balance right, and only Lee Johnson can decide that.

"But, with that being said, I think with the signings he’s brought in so far, he’ll be very pleased."

The Verdict:

Sunderland desperately need to use their remaining funds wisely in the window to ensure they give themselves the best possible chance of promotion at the end of next season.

This will be their fourth attempt at getting back to the Championship and if they are unable to go all the way this time, the Black Cats could see the likes of Aiden McGeady and Luke O'Nien leave the club next summer.

Their remaining signings in the next month could dictate whether they will be able to realistically get to the Championship with the likes of Ipswich Town, Charlton Athletic and others already looking strong going into the 2021/22 campaign.

Phillips is right to point out the importance of squad morale though, because this will also be vital for a promotion charge after losing their top scorer from last season.

So their recruitment won't just be important to add more quality and depth, but also in terms of getting the balance right and making sure their future transfers are the right moves for their existing squad.