AFTER hinting that he is interested in staying on as Sunderland manager beyond this disastrous season, David Moyes will spend the last four games trying to engineer some momentum ahead of a season in the Championship.

But the Black Cats boss, under pressure from the club’s supporters after failing to keep them in the Premier League, is not prepared to completely write off players who might not be here in August, believing a victory or three could help his cause.

It is not completely certain Moyes will be still at the Stadium of Light, although the meeting he had with owner Ellis Short at the start of the week has left him with the belief he can stay if he wants.

There will be further discussions at the end of the campaign with Short to plot a way forward, given he is yet to complete his first 12 months of the four-year deal he signed as Sunderland manager last July.

He knows changes are afoot regardless of who is at the helm, with ten players out of contract (including three loans), while there is likely to be under contract player departures too.

Leading scorer Jermain Defoe has already caught the eye of a number of Premier League teams, with West Brom, West Ham and Bournemouth among the contenders for his signature.

Moyes has not completely given up on the England striker staying on Wearside, although realises the experienced front-man can leave for nothing after confirmation Sunderland will not be playing in the top-flight this season.

He said: “I think Jermain knows what Sunderland supporters think of him, what the people in this area think of him. It will be more to do with Jermain and not a matter of what I say or anybody else thinks. He has a clause, so there’s no conversation to be had really.

“I don’t know, I have no idea (if he will go). I am just guessing he has an opportunity in his contract, so it will be his choice. Everybody here would want him to stay and like him to do that. But he has a clause and it is within his rights to execute it if he wants to.”

Two other possible departures are John O’Shea, out of contract, and Jordan Pickford, who is wanted by a number of top-flight clubs with Everton favourites to strike a £17m deal at this stage.

Moyes said: “John is one of those we will speak about next week. There are three people out of contract who will go back to their parent clubs and we have a few others to deal with in that category, we will speak with them all next week and get through them hopefully as the week goes on.

“Jordan is not one we need to speak to because he is under contract. You wouldn’t speak to anybody if they are under contract. You all know what we think of Jordan, we think highly of him and he is a terrific goalkeeper.”

Given there is likely to be more than a team of departures before the start of next season, the rebuilding job Moyes – or his successor – has on his hands will be significant. After the trials and tribulations of the last 12 months, though, the current incumbent of the manager’s office thinks it could reinvigorate everyone.

Moyes said: “I never thought this club needed to take a step back first. I never wanted to do that. I didn’t come with that intention. But that has happened. We have to do that.

“The important thing is to win more games, as a club we have to win more games. We need to get that back. We hope we will do that.

“I want to be able to have a team which would come straight back up. That is my aim, to get us get back into the Premier League. And we have to look to see how we do that.”

Moyes, whose side have won just once since before Christmas, is determined to make sure his players try to perform in the final four games despite the massive blow of relegation from the Premier League.

The former Manchester United man, who is without Lee Cattermole and Darron Gibson at Hull City today, said: “Is it possible? We have spoken about it with the players, we have told them how it has to be and we are trying to get them ready for the games. You would expect them to be disappointed as we all are.

“We are playing for pride now, and we are also looking forward to the future. It is a bit of both. I think our performances recently may have merited more than the points we have got. It’s the results ultimately that count. We have played quite well for the last month, not scoring but slightly better performances.”