Lee Johnson believes Sunderland's transfer dealings are proof that the club's new-look off-field structure is working well.
Johnson arrived on Wearside just over a year ago as part of a major revamp that saw the club ditch its traditional managerial strutcure, with Johnson appointed as head coach while Kristjaan Speakman joined as sporting director, in the run-up to Kyril Louis-Dreyfus becoming majority shareholder at Sunderland.
That meant a change to the way the club handled recruitment with Speakman overseeing the negotiating process, while Johnson has a major say in the identification of targets along with the club's scouts and analysts.
READ MORE: Sunderland's January transfer window: All 15 player moves completed this month
Their first window 12 months ago saw striker Ross Stewart and midfielder Carl Winchester sign for the club and both have gone on to become key figures in this season's promotion bid.
And the summer intake included Alex Pritchard, Dennis Cirkin, Corry Evans, and loan additions Nathan Broadhead, Thorben Hoffmann, and Leon Dajaku.
This month has seen the club add a number of exciting signings with Patrick Roberts joining from Manchester City, Danny Batth from Stoke City, and Jack Clarke on loan from Spurs, and there could be more to come before Monday's transfer deadline.
"It's always a collective thing when a club is working well, and the hierarchy or stucture is working smoothly," said Johnson of the recruitment process.
"There are cross-overs [of responsibility], without a shadow of a doubt.
"I think we've done really well, to be honest, we work together well.
"There are new personalities, new ways of working, a whole new structure at the top.
"If you look at the players we have brought in and the value that we have got in those players, there has been some really good work from all of us across the recruitment department, the ownership, Kristjaan Speakman, myself, and the effort that we have put in as a staff to sell the dream to players.
"There are so many different agendas, mostly positive, but you have the agent, you have the player, the board, the manager - there's all these sort of agendas who all want the best but who all have slightly different angles and perspectives on it.
"But I think we've done really well.
"I know the deals that we have done on the players who have come in and they have been very good."
Johnson is still keen to bring in a striker as competition and cover for 18-goal leading scorer Stewart, while he could also be in the market for a full-back and a midfielder before the window closes.
For the latest Sunderland news direct to your inbox, go here to sign up to our free newsletter
