Sunderland appear to be preparing for life in League One by targeting Shrewsbury Town’s Jon Nolan and Millwall’s Championship striker Lee Gregory.
Blackburn Rovers have made rather light work of their first season in the third tier of English football since 1980.
With four games to go, Tony Mowbray’s Rovers are second behind Wigan Athletic but with a healthy five-point buffer between themselves and Shrewsbury Town in the first play-off spot.
If Sunderland fail to produce a great escape of epic proportions, they will find themselves in League One next season and will no doubt use Blackburn as a benchmark. But, with the Black Cats in a great deal of debt, an immediate return to the Championship would be easier said than done.
That said, pulling off deals for two players who have shone in front of goal in League One would give Chris Coleman (assuming he remains at the Stadium of Light) the firepower required to potentially make Sunderland’s stay in the third tier a short one.
The Mail stated in March that Sunderland are keen to sign Lee Gregory when his contract at Millwall expires this summer, while the Shropshire Star has linked the Black Cats with Shrewsbury talisman Jon Nolan.
Gregory scored 35 goals in two League One seasons for Millwall, including 17 in 2016/17 to fire the Lions into the Championship.
And attacking midfielder Nolan has shown for Shewsbury this season just how useful he can be in the final third. The former Everton youngster has driven their shock promotion push with nine goals and he told the Shropshire Star that he is flattered by interest from Sunderland and co.
If Sunderland can convince both Gregory and Nolan to move to Wearside this summer, Coleman could have an attacking partnership that would be the envy of any other side in the division.
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