With a week to go until Sunderland must submit their retained list, Phil Parkinson has decisions to make.
EFL clubs have until next Tuesday, June 23, to release their official retained list, indicating which players remain under contract, which players have been offered new deals, and which players will be released.
The Black Cats have already confirmed that defender Tommy Smith and striker Kyle Lafferty have departed at the end of their short-term deals, but the futures of nine first-team players are still unclear.
With League One football on hold since March 13, the season curtailed, and no date set as yet for the start of the 2020-21 campaign, clubs are likely to be very cautious when it comes to contract offers.
They will not want to risk paying unnecessary wages when the new season may not start for months - and even then could begin behind-closed-doors, or at least with restricted capacities.
But they will still need to keep hold of their best players, and will therefore have to make some contract offers.
Our Sunderland writer James Hunter takes a look at the Black Cats' out-of-contract players and gives his verdict on who deserves a new deal - and who has reached the end of the road.
Jon McLaughlin
Sunderland must do everything they can to hang on to their Scotland international goalkeeper, without paying silly money.
The Black Cats will definitely offer him a new deal, but whether they can meet his terms is another matter - there was a big gap between the parties when the club held initial conversations with his agent last summer.
And if there is any substance to reports of interest in McLaughlin from Championship Blackburn, it could be difficult to convince him to stay.
They must try, though, because in McLaughlin Sunderland have probably the best goalkeeper in League One.
VERDICT: Deal
Tom Flanagan
Flanagan has been in and out of the side this season and, while he has come in for criticism at times, I think he has something to offer as a squad player - not necessarily a first-choice centre-back, but someone who provides good quality cover.
The Northern Ireland international can play in a couple of different roles and that versatility makes him a useful asset.
His future is in the balance, but I would lean towards keeping him.
VERDICT: Deal
Chris Maguire
Maguire has an option built into his contract to extend for another year and Sunderland must decide whether to take it up.
Personally, I would want to see him stay - he gives Sunderland a bit of bite and aggression, along with no little skill.
He is capable of scoring goals from outside the box, either from open play or set-pieces, and in tight games he has made the difference.
VERDICT: Deal
Duncan Watmore
It will come as no surprise to anyone if Watmore leaves on June 30.
He has been desperately unluckly to endure an injury nightmare, twice rupturing his cruciate ligament which has meant he has started only 21 games since suffering the initial problem in December 2016.
Not only that, the deal that is about to end is the four-year contract Watmore signed in November 2015 - on Premier League wages - when he was riding high as an England U21 star.
Watmore knows that he could not command the same kind of money now, and this is a natural end point to his time on Wearside.
VERDICT: No deal
Joel Lynch
Lynch has been a solid enough performer this season but Sunderland may well set their sights higher this summer.
Phil Parkinson brought in Bailey Wright on loan in January and preferred him to Lynch, and I expect Sunderland to try to sign Wright on a permanent basis.
All things considered, I think this summer there will probably better options out there - or at least no shortage of players who are just as good.
VERDICT: No deal
Jack Baldwin
Alongside Flanagan, Baldwin was one half of Sunderland's preferred central-defensive pairing in the 2018-19 season.
But while he looked good on the ball, he made too many mistakes and ultimately that meant he lost his place n the side last summer when then-boss Jack Ross brought in Lynch and Jordan Willis.
The writing was on the wall for him when he was allowed to join League Two Salford City on a season-long loan.
VERDICT: No deal
Alim Ozturk
Ozturk recovered from a shaky start to carve out a niche for himself as decent central defensive cover.
He is by no means the most elegant player, but is strong in the air and the back three that Sunderland have played under Parkinson since Christmas suited him, with the other centre-backs able to compensate for his lack of pace.
Whether he fits into Parkinson's long-term plans is another matter, however.
Like Lynch, I expect Ozturk will move on with Sunderland confident they could improve on him this summer.
VERDICT: No deal
Ethan Robson
Academy product Robson has spent a long time on the fringes at Sunderland without ever really being given a run in the side.
He spent the first half of this season on loan at League Two Grimsby but, despite returning to Wearside in January, he was left kicking his heels.
Robson made his senior debut in September 2017 but, almost three years on, he has played less than 15 first-team games.
Sunderland have plenty of midfielders and he is well down the pecking order, so it would probably suit both player and club if he moves on.
VERDICT: No deal
Benji Kimpioka
The Kimpioka contract saga has rumbled on and on, but now it's crunch time.
Sunderland have offered him terms but he shows no sign of committing his future to the club and his agent is talking up interest in him from elsewhere.
The Sweden U21 international has ability but he is very raw and has a lot to learn.
He still plays most of his football for Sunderland's U23s but really he needs a more challenging environment, yet he is not good enough to play at first team level on Wearside.
Sunderland need to make him an offer simply to protect their rights to compensation if, as seems likely, he moves this summer.
VERDICT: New deal (for the reason above)
