Sunderland have already secured the return of one high-profile old boy in Jermain Defoe.
And another could well be on the cards with Roy Keane lined up for a second stint in the Stadium of Light hotseat.
If Keane does complete an extraordinary return to Wearside then it will not be the first time him and Defoe have worked together this season.
The pair have been both pundits for ITV and Sky Sports over the course of the season. And it was during a game where they were both working together earlier this season that an infamous moment occurred.
Prior to Tottenham's game against Manchester United back in October, Keane went on one of his famous rants in which he criticised United pair Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw - even impersonating Maguire with a dreary tone.
Do you think Keane is the right man to get Sunderland promoted? Let us know in the comments
And Defoe, who was sitting alongside him, drew plenty of attention thanks to his priceless reaction as he stayed quiet and his eyes widened.
Keane was less than impressed as he said: “I heard Maguire talking during the week. He was like a robot. He was like, ‘Apologies to the fans…’ - there was no emotion behind it.
“And these guys are on the back of good European Championships for England. They have turned up before for big matches.
“But recently… and Shaw has fallen back into his old habits a few years ago."
The clip, complete with Defoe's priceless reaction, has since gone viral.
Four months later and the pair may well be sharing a laugh over the incident at close quarters, should Keane make a shock return to Wearside.
Defoe this week confirmed his return, after leaving Rangers. His first spell at Sunderland saw him score 15 goals in both full seasons in the Premier League as he became a firm favourite.
The Irishman's first spell was his first gig as a manager, back in 2006.
He spent two years a Sunderland, leading them to the Championship title in his first season and then keeping them in the Premier League.
He left in December 2008 and went on to manage Ipswich before being sacked in January 2011. Since then he has held assistant manager posts with the Republic of Ireland, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
The last few years have seen him become a box office attraction for Sky Sports' coverage of big games, with his forthright views and on-air relationship with fellow pundit Micah Richards making him hugely popular.
Keane was the last man to lead Sunderland to a promotion and he laid the foundations for their 10-year stay in the Premier League.
Since their demotion in 2017, the Black Cats have sunk even further after suffering back-to-back relegations.
They are currently in their fourth consecutive campaign in League One - something unthinkable for a club that until recently had only spent one season of its existence outside the top two tiers.
A return for Keane, with Defoe already back in the building, would be the stuff of dreams for long-suffering Sunderland fans.
Reports suggest the 50-year-old will be interviewed for the vacancy created after Lee Johnson's sacking.
And if his recent comments, given to former United teammate Gary Neville, are anything to go by then Keane is ready for another stab at management.
Speaking on the Overlap last August, Keane said: "I think there's something in there where I could be a good manager.
"I’ve had interviews, I had an interview recently.
“I spoke to a Championship club about three months ago. It was very casual, it was at my house, a chat with the chairman.
“And to be fair, he was straight up, he went, ‘Listen, we just want somebody who can come in and win football matches’.
“That was fine with me, I didn’t have to break down styles of play."
