ELLIS SHORT is ready to give Sunderland’s new head coach a handful of new signings this summer after listening to the advice of Dick Advocaat.

Short expects to confirm today whether Advocaat will remain in charge on Wearside after his short term contract came to an end following Sunday’s defeat at champions Chelsea.

The Dutch boss is thought to have edged towards sticking to his original plan of returning to Holland to enjoy his retirement with his wife, although there could yet be a surprise change of heart.

But regardless of who is in charge, Advocaat has already indicated to the club’s billionaire American owner and sporting director Lee Congerton what he feels needs to be done to the squad.

Short agrees that it is quality additions rather than quantity which is required to try to ensure a repeat of the last few relegation fights can be avoided.

Advocaat thinks the squad needs freshening up with four or five players capable of really shining on the Premier League stage.

Congerton has already started to work on a list of possible transfer targets, with a couple of defenders, a creative midfielder and a winger the priority. However, there is unlikely to be real progress made until it is confirmed who will be in charge.

Last summer Patrick van Aanholt was one of a number of signings and there is a need for more defenders with Wes Brown out of contract and Sebastian Coates returning to Liverpool.

Van Aanholt was a £1.8m recruit from Chelsea when he chased regular top-flight football, which he got in a Sunderland shirt – even though things did not go entirely to plan.

Sunderland struggled to climb away from relegation trouble throughout the season and, despite a few highs, that was not what he expected after deciding to leave Stamford Bridge for the Stadium of Light.

But the young Dutchman said: “Of course I’m happy with the way this season has panned out for me personally. I wanted to play games and that’s why I left Chelsea.

“I’ve had the opportunity to do that. I was unlucky with my injury (dislocated shoulder), but apart from that I’ve played in all the matches, and that’s why I came here.

“I played for seven years in the youth team at Chelsea, and on a couple of occasions in the first team, so it was nice to go back there on the last day. I missed the game in November through injury so I really wanted to play against them.”

Van Aanholt thinks Sunderland can be satisfied with how things ended following the arrival of Advocaat.

The Black Cats picked up 12 points under him and Van Aanholt said: “We knew we were safe before we went to Chelsea, so it was great to be able to go there and play the game with no pressure. It would have been nice to win or draw, but they were better than us and it wasn’t to be.

“To still be in the Premier League was what we all wanted. I think it’s the best league in Europe and I’m glad we made it in the end.”

Sunderland play Darlington on July 9 at Bishop Auckland and then Doncaster on July 29 at the Keepmoat Stadium as part of their pre-season schedule.