The Black Cats have made considerable changes to their squad over the past couple of seasons and have not been hesitant in selling some of the big names. The likes of Darren Bent and Lorik Cana have left in the last 12 months - but chief executive Steve Walton insists that there is no pressure whatsoever on manager Steve Bruce to sell from the club or owner Ellis Short. "Players will absolutely not have to be sold to balance the books," Walton told a supporters talk-in session in South Shields. Walton insists that they had no plans to sell the likes of Bent and Cana before bids were made, something they could not have envisaged. "Any sales will be dictated by what is right for the manager and balancing the dressing room," he added. "However, of course we can't legislate for transfers which come from left field, such as those involving Darren Bent and Lorik Cana."
