The key transfer and contract issues still be to settled in Sunderland’s final nine Championship games

On Saturday, Sunderland will play in the Championship with the intention of ending their protracted losing streak and creating a much-needed buffer between themselves and the teams near the bottom of the standings.

The club’s chances of finishing in the top six are fading, so it is looking more and more like a disappointing season finale. However, the results of the games played between now and May will have a big impact on the summer. Here, we go over the important contract and transfer choices that are still up for debate

DO EITHER OF THE LOANEES POSSIBLY REMAIN AT THE CLUB IN THE LONG RUN?

Mason Burstow was someone Sunderland was hoping to sign permanently when they made their initial attempt. The team pursued other players when the young player was identified as a long-term prospect but Chelsea objected. After a productive preseason with the first team, the Premier League club decided he could go out on loan, and that’s when they returned to the table at the end of the transfer window. Given that Burstow has had difficulty getting regular playing time and that Sunderland has struggled with goals all season, it seems exceedingly doubtful that any party will benefit from a lengthier stay on Wearside. Following a challenging match against Southampton the previous time out, it would not be shocking to see Mike Dodds

But with Callum Styles, a choice will probably still need to be made in the upcoming days and weeks. Styles was a long-term Sunderland target and a great admirer of previous manager Tony Mowbray. In the last days of the January transfer window, the Black Cats agreed to a loan agreement for Styles. As injuries started to mount, Sunderland believed that his versatility and EFL experience could assist cover a lot of positions and bring something to the squad. In his four appearances so far, he has already performed in a variety of roles. Although he has shown flashes of skill when he is on the ball, the squad’s overall issues have made it difficult to assess how much of an impact he could have on the team.

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