MANAGER: Steve Bruce (June 2009)

MAJOR INS: Lorik Cana (Marseille, £5m), Fraizer Campbell (Man Utd, £3.5m), Paulo da Silva (Toluca, free), Darren Bent (Spurs, £10m)

MAJOR OUTS: Dean Whitehead (Stoke, £3m), Michael Chopra (Cardiff, £4m), Greg Halford (Wolves, undisclosed)

KEY MAN: Kenwyne Jones (65 apps/19 gls)
Squad selector: Pick your Sunderland XI

LAST SEASON: 16th

OUR VERDICT: 11th. Bruce will improve Sunderland and they will avoid a struggle.
Watch Lawro's verdict on Sunderland