As the days count down, we are slowly approaching what could be an almighty change at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland are currently engulfed in a takeover saga, one that could finally see Stewart Donald relinquish his majority stake of the Black Cats.

Settling for a 15% of the football club, he is set to sell most of his ownership in the club to Juan Sartori and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, but is more change afoot?

What’s the word?

Since the takeover situation escalated, Sunderland are yet to win a game. They lost to MK Dons and then drew with Doncaster which has left them five points off top spot and fighting for promotion once again.

With the quality of football being questioned, it’s also led to queries asked surrounding the future of current manager Phil Parkinson – not for the first time.

As such, he could be replaced if things don’t improve. That’s the word of The Sun (print version, 22/11) who suggests that Sunderland are eyeing Nigel Pearson.

The paper reveals that Parkinson is set to be the first high profile casualty of the impending takeover and with someone like Pearson available, they would not take much time in moving for the former Watford boss.

It’s also thought that he could bring former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips with him as his assistant.

Promotion bid back on track?

Pearson has not managed in League One since 2008 when he took Leicester to the Championship and beyond but the chance to manage a sleeping giant such as Sunderland would surely appeal to him.

Although his hefty Premier League-sized wages could be somewhat of an issue, in terms of improving the feel of the club and rejuvenating them, there would be few better candidates.

First and foremost, Pearson has promotion experience. He was in the Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough squads in the 1990s when they were promoted through the Football League and then used that expertise as a manager to twice earn promotion with Leicester.

He is someone who knows how to get a team out of a hole, but it’s his coaching and man-management that left plenty of colleagues throwing praise his way last term.

Pearson very nearly saved Watford from relegation last season before being given his marching orders by the Pozzo family. That was despite changing the face of the football club.

Former Sunderland boss David Moyes was left stunned by the decision, claiming that had he kept the Hornets up, he would have been a candidate for the Manager of the Year award.

Although he was given the boot, he had a lasting impact on the Watford players. Ben Foster said last season:

“You need somebody who will demand that just the minimum is working hard and getting stuck in. If you look at the last four or five games we've played, the fight, the determination, the never giving up, the constantly everybody tracking back, the work rate, all of that, that's what's been missing for the best part of nine months.”

That quote should be music to the ears of Sunderland fans, a group of people who have seen efforts from the players fall way below the level of 100%.

He would undoubtedly improve their promotion hopes.

Meanwhile, Sunderland's prospective new owner is already on the verge of a HUGE mistake...