What truly makes a player a true bargain buy? Not so many years ago, Sunderland operated on a shoestring budget season in, season out where unearthing bargains was a must. Those were the days: it kept expectations low or it should be said, realistic, while in recent times, over different managers and the changing face of the club, the Black Cats havent proved anywhere near as successful at polishing up those diamonds in the rough. Even with managers who have come to the club with a reputation for spotting cheap and cheerful buys, like Steve Bruce, real bargains still alluded the Black Cats, while others, like Martin O'Neill simply signed expensive flops. Meanwhile, the jury is pretty much still out regarding anyone purchased since - after all, a short spell of form does not make the player a great servant to the club. Take note Connor Wickham. Club policy has changed, perhaps in pursuit of making the next level in the Premier League: instead of bargain hunting at lower levels, attention has turned to other cost-effective means of recruiting, with frees and loans the order of the day. But it wasn't always that way, and Sunderland have managed to play both domestic and foreign markets to success and brought in cheap players who went on to have a major impact on the club. With that in mind we're looking back at the biggest bargains in Sunderland history, not including those signed on loan, or who were Bosmans. To set some further ground-rules, a fee has to have been involved - so all free transfers have been counted out - and it's important to remember that what might constitute a bargain amount today may have been a club record not so long ago.
