Sunderland were enormously interested in signing Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy in the final few days of the summer transfer window.

However, they were unable to sign the player from the Championship team and it was a major setback for David Moyes considering that he does not have a full complement of goalkeepers right now. The long-term injury to Vito Mannone has left the club in a difficult situation indeed. Jordan Pickford has currently been utilised as the first choice goalkeeper in the absence of Mannone.

Even though it is likely that Mannone will return to first-team action in the next couple of weeks, it leaves Sunderland in a precarious position. Despite having failed to bring in a replacement for Mannone during the summer transfer window, manager David Moyes urged that the club are still looking at options in this regard. Sunderland will now be able to complete only free transfers before the transfer window reopens in January. There is a possibility that Sunderland could apply for a special allowance from Premier League that would allow the club to sign a player on an emergency loan system. Sunderland have made an extremely poor start to the season under Moyes.

The manager is now coming under a lot of pressure to deliver the first victory of the season. “We have an injury to Vito Mannone, we want to give Jordan Pickford a chance to show what he can do, but we will definitely have to bring in cover or someone who can challenge Jordan,” said the manager ahead of the transfer window’s final few hours. After having only narrowly avoided relegation in the last couple of years, the club are in danger of being the back into the Championship if they do not start the season well. Sunderland have been in the Premier league for more than five years.