THERE have been further transfer talks inside the Academy of Light this week, with Chris Coleman desperate to land a couple of new recruits as soon as possible after the window opens on Monday.

He is hopeful quick progress can be made having had the discussions with head of recruitment Neale McDermott and chief executive Martin Bain, with Scunthorpe’s Hakeeb Adelakun and Rangers’ James Tavernier two to be considered.

Liverpool teenager Ben Woodburn is very much a priority for Coleman, having worked with him with Wales and he is convinced he can attack the Championship despite his tender 18 years of age.

But the Sunderland boss is scouring the market for more, with experience a big factor and he knows he is likely to lose a couple of players before the end of January. Leading scorer Lewis Grabban is expected to have his loan cut short from Bournemouth, while Lamine Kone is interesting Everton, West Ham and Southampton.

Coleman said: “The window is coming, we need an injection that will help us I think. And then just keep chipping away at it. It can change your life in a good or bad way, back to back wins can change a lot. We have not done that yet.

“I have had constant conversations, what can we do? How can we improve what we have got? Who we can bring in to help what we have got? Possible players leaving?

“We will be linked with this player and that, but I wouldn’t comment on this or that because they are with clubs and I wouldn’t be disrespectful. We may lose one or two, but we want to add to what we have got.

“The January window is always a tough time for all clubs because you could lose players you don’t want to and you are battling to get players you want. We will try to be active.

“Transfers and how they work, I couldn’t say this will definitely happen or that will. You want to do things quickly. Knowing football it is difficult to predict.”

Jurgen Klopp admitted earlier this week that Woodburn, who turned 18 in October, could leave on loan next month. The same is expected of his Anfield team-mates Mark Grujic and fellow Welshman Harry Wilson.

Coleman said: “I can’t speak about Ben. He is an excellent young player who belongs to Liverpool. I couldn’t say anything. If I was Jurgen Klopp I wouldn’t be very happy if I heard another manager saying ‘yes, we are in for this player’. The connection is going to be there but I couldn’t comment on Ben or any other player to be honest.”

Sunderland are desperate for reinforcements, with options limited. Coleman has been hit further this week by injury problems after Tyias Browning suffered a swollen foot at Sheffield United on Boxing Day.

Grabban and Didier Ndong are also not expected to figure at Nottingham Forest today. The absence of Browning could be the biggest blow because there could need to be a change of formation.

Coleman said: “If he doesn’t make it, we don’t think he will, then we have ran out of defenders and Billy Jones hasn’t kicked a ball in anger for maybe six weeks.

“Billy has done some sessions with the first team. With two games in three days it is needs must. If Tyias does miss the first one then he maybe OK for the second against Barnsley (on Monday). The formation will be dictated by Tyias.

“Would I have changed the system? There are individuals within that system who can do better but I think we have set up quite well in that system. It’s not a system I will play every week. I have to look at the players I have got.

“I will look at the opposition and then I will shape us up how I feel will serve us right. That is a formation that has served us well. It is the first time at Sheffield United where we didn’t look good in it but I don’t think that was the formation. I wouldn’t blame that. That would be the easy way out.”

After a promising start under the former Wales boss, Coleman was deeply frustrated by the team’s displays against bottom club Birmingham last Saturday and then at Sheffield United on Boxing Day.

Coleman said: “It’s not been a good Christmas at all. Football dictates how you feel. If you are involved at a club, as a player, supporter, your Christmas is dictated by performances and ours weren’t good enough. We came up short.

“It was a pretty unpleasant experience for us. At least in league football you get the chance to put things right. It was disappointing we know that.

“I was looking forward to the game at Sheffield United, they are doing well fighting for something different, but we missed the 90 minutes and that was disappointing.

“We have Forest next and we have to look forward to it. Forget Christmas. We have to put a performance in because we didn’t in the last game.”

Sunderland 4-1-4-1 (probable): Ruiter; Matthews, O'Shea, Wilson, Oviedo; Gibson; McManaman, Honeyman, Gooch, McGeady; Vaughan.

Forest 4-2-3-1 (probable): Smith; Lichaj, Worrall, Mancienne, Traore; Bridcutt, McKay; Osborn, Dowell, Bouchalakis; Murphy