The talented Sunderland youngsters who could get a major chance to impress Tony Mowbray in pre-season

Sunderland are due back at the Academy of Light next Monday as they begin preparations for next season, with their senior squad already beginning to look quite settled.

As of yet there have been no departures, while three incoming additions have been confirmed.

As such, there may be fewer opportunities through the pre-season programme for academy players to step up. Some will undoubtedly feature, however, whether it be in games or in training behind the scenes.

Here, we run you through who could be involved from the upper age groups.

CHRIS RIGG

Rigg has enjoyed a rapid rise to date, and Mowbray is a big admirer of the young midfielder. The England youth international has technical ability aplenty but Mowbray particularly likes his combativeness - the now 16-year-old is said to take no prisoners when he joins first-team training and regularly crashes into challenges.

Sunderland will tread carefully with a player still so young, who was balancing training with school only last season. Still, he did not look out of place on his three senior appearances in the FA Cup and so it seems likely that Mowbray and Sunderland will look to keep integrating him through pre-season.

That will depend, though, on how he has recovered from the injury that brought a premature end to his last campaign. A player we will almost certainly see in cup action again at some stage during the upcoming campaign.

TOM WATSON

Watson's emergence as a regular in the first-team training environment went a little under the radar due to Rigg's FA Cup appearances, but the winger landed a debut that many said had long been coming when he featured briefly from the bench against Huddersfield Town in April.

Even in a few minutes he showed real pace and a willingness to try and be direct on the ball. Sunderland are pretty well stocked in the wide areas as it stands but Watson will almost certainly get a chance somewhere along the line, particularly as Jewison Bennette works his way back to full match fitness following the dislocated shoulder that brought his campaign to an early end.

ZAK JOHNSON

By his own admission Johnson had a tricky start last season, but over time both player and club have begun to see the benefits of pushing him up an age group early in the U21 system.

The central defender was comfortably one of the most consistent performers for Graeme Murty's side, and the boyhood Sunderland fan achieved a memorable moment personally when he scored a late winner against Newcastle United at the Academy of Light

He continued to go from strength to strength, wearing the captain's armband on occasions and winning a call-up to the England U18 squad for their summer fixtures. While featuring in a number of fixtures he shared the captain's armband with now Sunderland team-mate Jobe Bellingham, a big honour at the end of a promising campaign.

Johnson is a good defender whose work in possession is improving considerably as Sunderland implement their playing style through the age groups, and while competition in central defence is fierce, you can expect to see him at some stage over the pre-season programme.

ADAM RICHARDSON

Richardson joined the senior squad on their pre-season tour of Portugal last summer and it looks highly likely that he will be involved again over the coming weeks.

The departure of Jacob Carney following the expiration of his contract means that Richardson is likely to step up and be the third-choice goalkeeper, with a lot of U21s football in addition, through the early part of the season.

Richardson agreed a new deal earlier this year, having initially turned down Premier League interest to agree a first professional contract in 2020. 6ft6 and an England youth international, Richardson has long been touted for a bright future on Wearside.

CADEN KELLY

Kelly signed his first professional deal last summer and spent time in Portugal with the senior group. He is a versatile forward who features regularly for the U23s, with plenty of technical ability and a good set piece.

His experience means he has trained on numerous occasions with the senior team over the last year or so, and will be an obvious contender to step up again if Mowbray needs additional players.

ELLIS TAYLOR

Taylor was a regular in the matchday squad towards the end of last season as injuries took hold in Mowbray's squad, and is a real leader within the U21 group.

It's an important campaign for Taylor, who needs regular football but struggled for minutes at Hartlepool United last time out. Hartlepool were enduring a dismal season and change in the dugout most certainly did not help the youngster, but he'll be eager to try and step up this season.

MICHAEL SPELLMAN & HARRY GARDINER

Spellman and Gardiner featured regularly in the U21s last season, while also getting some experience of senior football on loan.

Both were offered new deals at the beginning of the summer and if they sign as expected, then that could give them the chance to try and get some more senior exposure behind the scenes.

Sunderland also retained a host of players from their U21 squad last season, including striker Max Thompson, Connor Pye, Thomas Chiabi, Ben Crompton and Callum Wilson.

MASON COTCHER

Sunderland U18s had a brilliant campaign last time out, pushing for the title right up until they were beaten by Manchester City on the penultimate day of the campaign.

The aforementioned Rigg and Watson featured for the side throughout the campaign but there were a number of players who caught the eye and who likely will move up into the U21 side for next season. Cotcher was one of many to shine, scoring nine goals across the season.

Oliver Bainbridge, Marshall Burke, Henry Fieldson, Harrison Jones, Ben Middlemas, Ethan Moore and Joseph Ryder were all offered their first professional contracts off the back of such a superb season across the board, and will look to then kick on in the U21 set up and in the long term, hopefully beyond.