Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman was a busy man during the January transfer window as he made a number of additions to Tony Mowbray's squad.

Pierre Ekwah, Joe Gelhardt, Joe Anderson, and Isaac Lihadji all arrived at the Stadium of Light to bolster the team heading into the second half of the campaign, although they also lost Ellis Simms as the centre-forward was recalled by Premier League side Everton.

The Black Cats chief may already have one eye on business he would like to do in the summer transfer window to continue shaping the side and one target the club should push to sign is central defender Charlie Cresswell.

In January, The Sun reported that Sunderland and Middlesbrough were both interested in signing the England U21 international, who could be available for a fee in the region of £4m.

Mowbray and Speakman must reignite their interest in the young defender in the summer as they could repeat the blinder that was played with Daniel Ballard by snapping up the Leeds United prospect.

Ballard was brought in on a permanent deal from Premier League side Arsenal at the start of the season after impressing on loan at Millwall in the Championship last term - averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.95 across 31 outings for the Lions.

His form for Gary Rowett's side convinced Sunderland to sign the gem and the youngster has been a solid performer, winning 61% of his duels and averaging a rating of 6.87, in ten appearances either side of a 21-game spell on the sidelines due to injury.

Cresswell, whose ability in the air was described as "powerful" by journalist Josh Bunting, could follow in Ballard's footsteps - once again - as the 20-year-old joined Millwall to replace the former Gunners man and has been excellent in the second tier.

The Leeds United brute has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.03 in 17 matches for the Lions - winning 59% of his individual duels - and shown that he can deliver consistently brilliant performances at that level.

Ballard went from being a Premier League prospect to impressing on loan at Millwall, to then joining Sunderland on a permanent deal and Cresswell could follow that pathing by securing a move to the Stadium of Light in the summer.

A score of 7.03 in the Championship would place him second in the current Black Cats squad, behind only Ross Stewart, and this suggests that starlet could be an excellent signing for Mowbray if the 20-year-old can maintain, or improve upon that form in the coming seasons.

Therefore, Sunderland could replicate the masterclass they played with Ballard by reigniting their interest in Cresswell and signing him on a permanent basis in the summer.