Explaining Sunderland's Bailey Wright conundrum and the transfer strategy leaving fans nervous ahead of League One campaign

Would the Black Cats double down on the 3-4-3 system that Phil Parkinson had used in the second half of the season?

The switch to that shape had sparked a seemingly unlikely rise up the table, but there was a sense that Sunderland were becoming too predictable and results tailed off at the worst possible time.

The answer, though, was that they would.

Parkinson had one or tweaks planned, including pushing one of the two midfield anchors further forward, but broadly the template would be similar.

With summer recruitment in mind, that call meant that Bailey Wright unsurprisingly became the number one target.

Injury had stalled his progress but the way he had performed in the opening games of his loan spell was fresh in the minds of staff and supporters alike.

The system suited him perfectly, with athleticism either side allowing him to marshal and organise with conviction.

Good in the air and in defensive duels, Wright was the defensive leader Sunderland had lacked in their first 18 months in the third tier.

There was interest from the Championship and abroad but this was the deal Parkinson wanted above all others.

When it was sealed, it represented a fairly significant investment relative to the level and the then Black Cats boss made a point of thanking Stewart Donald for getting the deal done.

A year on, Sunderland has a new footballing regime in place and Wright's future is uncertain.

The Black Cats look to have an interesting conundrum on their hands, and one that tells us much about their potentially high-risk strategy for the summer.

When Sunderland released their retained list in the aftermath of that play-off defeat to Lincoln City, there was some surprise but also broad support for the scale of change being initiated.