Sunderland Transfers: 10 Players Derek McInnes Could Bring With Him
1. Daryl Murphy
Daryl Murphy was a surprisingly astute signing by Rafael Benitez as he began plotting his navigation out of the Championship in the summer of 2016.
Though some fans felt the Toon Army overpaid for the ageing forward, he scored five crucial goals for the club from only seven league starts.
The Republic of Ireland international proved his worth as a squad player, warming the bench for much of the season but making an impact during the bulk of his first team appearances. Nearly all of Murphy's strikes came during a period of injury for the club's top goal threat Dwight Gayle.
His flexibility in drifting out wide also gave the team options, and player of such utility could be a vital ingredient in setting up a promotion-winning side.
Murphy has publicly revealed that he's not a part of Benitez' plans going forward, and a short-term return to his former club seems a natural fit.
Black Cats fans will remember his contributions to the side during their last Championship campaign, where his ten goals made him the second highest scorer for the side that season. The prospect of him offering similar return nearly a decade later could be too good for McInnes to ignore.