Revealed! This is how many signings Sunderland are targeting in January

Charlie Methven has again reiterated that Phil Parkinson will be backed in the January transfer window – with the Sunderland boss having set his sights on five new arrivals.
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Speaking at a talk-in at the Stadium of Light, the club’s executive director confirmed that a healthy budget will be available for Parkinson after the new manager made his targets known to the recruitment team.

But Methven was keen to stress that lessons had been learned from last January, where Will Grigg arrived on deadline day in a £3million deal.

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And ultimately, he admits the final budget will be dictated by the EFL’s stringent financial rules.

Charlie Methven admits Sunderland are eyeing five new signings in JanuaryCharlie Methven admits Sunderland are eyeing five new signings in January
Charlie Methven admits Sunderland are eyeing five new signings in January

“The real top on what we can spend is down to the EFL and their spending regime,” said Methven

“As of June when our parachute payments run out, we have to fit into something called the Salary Cap Management Protocol, which means we can only spend 60% of our revenue on playing wages.

“If we went and signed seven players and no players left the club, and all those players were on three-year contracts, they’d say ‘well you might be okay for now, but come June you’ll be breaking the rules and we’ll have to fine you, deduct points or whatever it might be’.

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“But the remit has gone out to Phil Parkinson and the recruitment team – you tell us what you need.

“The manager was speaking at a talk-in last night and suggested five signings, and I think that’s around where we’ll be.

“But will we go out and spend £8million on a Marcus Maddison?

“No.”

And while some of the fresh £10million investment from FPP Sunderland will head into the first-team budget, Methven was keen to stress that some off-field areas also require the injection of some much-needed funds.

“There’s some absolutely necessary areas,” he admitted.

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“There’s the academy, scouting, the stadium and, as expected, investment into the first-team.

“Without getting that right, nothing will seem particularly important or impressive.

“So there’s a variety of different areas from much-needed capex – because this stadium has not been neglected for three years, five years, six years; various things have been happening which need to be put right.”