Sunderland may be in for a summer of change, with a manager yet to be appointed, and the futures of key players also likely to be in question.

Mike Dodds is set to be in the caretaker hotseat until the end of the season, although they could opt to make an early appointment should the right candidate come forward.

Sunderland are sat firmly in mid-table in the Championship, and they are unable to make the play-offs this campaign, meaning their attentions have turned to planning for next season, and they will be keen to get the crucial appointment right this time.

Sunderland have been one of the most progressive clubs in the EFL in recent years thanks to their recruitment of young, high potential players since the new ownership group took over the club.

Multiple acquisitions in the summer were aged 21 and under, and have helped to add continuity and progression to the sustainable, forward-thinking model that has been put into place at the Stadium of Light.

Dodds is in interim charge of this young group currently but the club have had four permanent managers in two years, having failed to build on Tony Mowbray's sixth-placed finish last term. It means the future of someone like Jack Clarke is up for debate, with departures expected at the club this summer.

In the meantime, here we have ranked some of the best players at the club by their market valuations.

NOTE: All figures are taken from Transfermarkt.

5 Dan Neil: £4.3 million

The academy graduate is one of their better players and performers, and has been for some time now, which his market valuation reflects. Neil has also captained the side on occasion as well. The 22-year-old has been capped at England youth level previously in England's U-20 set up, too.

Neil is a vital cog in the side and has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Championship already at the age of just 22. However, should they fail to gain promotion next season, there is a good chance he won't be a Sunderland player come the following summer, with Neil likely to outgrow the team and division, if he hasn't already done so.

4 Trai Hume: £4.3 million

Hume has been at the club for a while now but was very much an on-brand signing - continuing the project of youthful, exuberant arrivals. A recruitment strategy like this is inherently dangerous and risky but has enormous upside, as they saw last season by finishing sixth where Hume developed rapidly.

The success rate of some of their signings has been nothing short of astonishing, and Hume is a player who perfectly exemplifies that and continues to go from strength to strength in a red and white shirt, establishing himself as one of the best right-backs in the league at the age of just 22, and another mainstay in their team.

3 Jobe Bellingham: £7.7 million

Big things have been expected of Bellingham this term, in the forward-thinking Sunderland side. They have the youngest squad by average age in the division, and they are more than willing to give young players a chance, which he has received, and he was a shoo-in for this list.

The younger brother of Jude Bellingham is enjoying a breakout season where he is able to play regularly for Sunderland, and he has all the tools to make it at a high level in the second tier in the coming seasons. Bellingham is on a steep development curve and has been a vital player at the age of just 18.

2 Anthony Patterson: £8.6 million

Patterson has been a near ever-present for Sunderland for a few seasons now, and will no doubt be a Premier League player at some stage, given his impressive performances at such a young age consistently.

At just 23, Patterson is already established as one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship and his market valuation reflects his importance to this Sunderland side. He is perhaps the second-best player at the club and the academy product isn't even close to reaching his full potential thus far.

1 Jack Clarke: £12.9 million

The least surprising player comes top of the list, with Clarke the key player in Sunderland's recent success in helping them fly up the table, taking huge strides forward in his development in the process, and it's no surprise that their campaign unravelled during his injury absence.

He will have interest from teams higher up the footballing ladder, and is a Premier League player in terms of his quality already. If a major offer comes in, it's hard to see a world where they would reject it. Should Sunderland look to sell a key player this summer to help fund their own window and improve in multiple positions instead, then the winger may be the best option for that, as much as fans won't want to admit it or see him go.