A new season’s Fantasy Premier League is under way, so do consider the following three potential Sunderland bargains.

Despite coming off the back of another ‘great escape’, this time masterminded by Dick Advocaat, Mackems fans will be under no illusions that they face another tough campaign.

With the sale of Connor Wickham to Crystal Palace set to weaken an already anaemic attack, any Sunderland bargains will probably have to come from more defensive positions…

Patrick van Aanholt, defender – £5m

The Dutchman is the Black Cats’ only specialist left-back so should be a regular this time around, and the 5 assists he mustered in his intermittent appearances last season show what he can offer going forward.

Younès Kaboul, defender – £4.5m

A new arrival from Spurs, the big centre-half could be a threat from set pieces – well, he used to get the odd goal back in his Portsmouth days.

Sebastián Coates, defender – £4.5m

There is some clamour for Coates to start alongside Kaboul as a first-choice centre-back, but this is contingent on how much Advocaat values the experience of similarly priced team mate John O’Shea.