Steve Bruce will axe up to eight of his squad this summer as he searches for an answer to Sunderland's struggle to reach the top half of the Premier League, reports the Daily Mirror. Alan Hutton and Paraguayan Cristian Riveros are on his early hit-list.

Higher profile stars on his out list will include left back George McCartney who has not settle since his return, plus players who have been on loan including Daryl Murphy, Nyron Nosworthy, David Healy.

Benjani is likely to leave after his loan spell from Manchester City, and Sunderland will not be taking up a £8million option to buy John Mensah from Lyon after his loan spell, because he is so injury prone.

Bruce admitted: "It will be three or four new signings and maybe twice as many out. There won't be huge, huge changes because I've got the nucleus of a decent squad.

"Defensively is where, for me, we will have to improve next season. We need to address the John Mensah situation and the Alan Hutton situation.

"We need to find out how much they are (to buy). We are at the start of those negotiations.

"We did some staggering numbers last summer in terms of players coming and going, and I can tell you now it won't be anything like that this time."