Speaking of trusted left backs, Sunderland could do far worse than bringing Marcos Alonso back to the fold. The Fiorentina man didn't spend long at the Stadium of Light during his 2014 loan spell, but became a popular figure for his part in the team's gritty relegation survival (and run to the brink of League Cup glory, even converting a crucial penalty in the semi-final at Old Trafford). A cultured defender, one admittedly less pacy than van Aanholt, but infinitely more intelligent in possession and disciplined at the back, Alonso could transform Sunderland's questionable transfer window into a successful one - if captured in time. Rumours of the Spaniard signing a contract extension with Fiorentina have abounded, with Inside Futbol reporting that even his agent believes he will stay with the Serie A club, but this shouldn't deter Sunderland from making a swoop for the left back. He still has some semblance of an affinity with the squad (as shown by the tweet below), and would bring the consistency and reliability the squad so desperately crave at present. https://twitter.com/marcosalonso03/status/601124783036747776
