Sunderland have had a relatively quiet start to the summer transfer window since earning promotion back to the Championship.

They have signed Jack Clarke and Leon Dajaku on permanent deals following their loan spells at the Stadium of Light last term and the only fresh face to come through the door so far has been Daniel Ballard from Arsenal.

Kristjaan Speakman still has around six weeks left to complete business and the club have been linked with a number of players throughout the summer.

Last month, Football Insider claimed that the Black Cats are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign attacking midfielder Ravel Morrison ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He is currently a free agent after leaving Derby County and the club may now snap him up to bolster their midfield options, if they can beat off competition from the other sides eyeing him up.

Alex Neil's own Paul Gascoigne

The head coach can now land his own version of Gascoigne by signing the £4.7k-per-week gem in the coming weeks.

Lee Clark compared him to the English icon back in 2014, saying: "He is the best footballer since Paul Gascoigne. If Paul Gascoigne had not done his knee he would have become the best player in the world.

"I played with Paul. I grew up with Paul. The only thing is that Ravel doesn't know who Paul Gascoigne is! He has the pace of a wide-man. He has the balance but plays in the middle of the pitch because he can manoeuvre the ball."

Whilst the attacking midfielder's career has not quite reached the heights that Clark expected it to, Morrison did showcase his quality in the Championship last season.

The gem produced four goals and four assists - creating six 'big chances' in total - in 25 starts as Derby were relegated from the second tier.

He has also had his playstyle praised as Rio Ferdinand previously quoted Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder as saying: "Rav – unpredictable, maverick, humble, a natural, and frustrating."

Morrison is an exciting midfielder who is capable of coming up with magic moments, like Gascoigne, as proven by these comments and his statistics last season.

Therefore, Neil can land his own version of the former Tottenham man by signing the 29-year-old and must push Speakman to secure a deal before the start of the campaign.

AND in other news, Big blow: Sunderland dealt pre-season injury setback that'll leave Alex Neil gutted...