KEVIN BALL admits it would be ‘nice’ to have the future of Sunderland thrashed out before the players return for pre-season training next week after being handed a tough start to life back in the Championship.

The former Black Cats captain, who remains one of the leading contenders for the manager’s job according to the bookmakers, was reacting to the news his beloved club will be starting the new season with a home date against Derby County on Friday, August 4.

They will then face away dates at Norwich City and Sheffield Wednesday before Leeds United travel to the Stadium of Light on August 19.

It is a tricky opening four matches in the second tier anyway, but the challenge looks even more testing because of the uncertainty hanging around the Wearside club.

Sunderland owner Ellis Short is in discussions with a number of interested parties aimed at selling, with a German consortium leading the way for a purchase after a multi-national one fronted by a group of Sunderland fans pulled out of the running.

Those discussions, which have been largely positive and led to a belief a sale could be agreed sooner rather than later, have slowed the search for a manager down and it is a month since David Moyes stepped aside.

Robbie Stockdale, who was the first team coach under Moyes, has been given the responsibility of leading preparations for pre-season and he could be holding the reins when the players return next week.

Ball, who is an ambassador for the club after two stints as caretaker manager and in youth development, accepts the situation needs addressing quickly to give Sunderland the best possible chance of attacking the Championship in the right manner.

Ball, speaking at Sunderland to Sky Sports, said: "We'd all love to be in the Premier League but we need to start afresh, move forward and have a right go at moving out of the Championship this year.

"In an ideal world, you would want things to be sorted as soon as possible. Going into pre-season, it would be nice to have a new manager at the helm. If new owners come in, then so be it. And it would be nice to get that sorted out.

"If it isn't the case straight away, we have fantastic staff at the club who will make sure that the players who are here get as fit as they can. Pre-season has been planned and everything is in place.

"I know (chief executive) Martin Bain will be working very hard to get a manager in as soon as possible. It would be nice to have him there.”

Stockdale will have goalkeeper coach Adrian Tucker and under-23s boss Elliott Dickman helping him if he is still in charge next Thursday, although Bain hopes to have made greater progress by then.

Former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson, who is a free agent after leaving Derby last season, and Preston boss Simon Grayson are the two front-runners after Derek McInnes’ decision to stick with Aberdeen despite the prospect of a hefty pay increase.

The absence of a permanent manager has made it difficult for Sunderland to make progress on the transfer front too, with the squad much weaker than that which suffered relegation from the Premier League.

There are also players who Sunderland are more than happy to sell, with the agent of Fabio Borini effectively admitting the Italian is open to the idea of leaving this summer.

Celtic are known to be interested but a move would come down to the money required, with Sunderland thought to be looking for £6m. There is also interest from Serie A, with AC Milan and Lazio two of those keeping an eye on things if the price is right.

Roberto de Fanti, the agent who had a disastrous spell as Sunderland’s director of football, said: “There are negotiations underway, only a few calls of interest. It's still early.

“It's nice to hear that there is esteem for him by (Simone) Inzaghi, who has done a great job with Lazio, we would absolutely take account of any chance to return to Italy.”

Asked what Borini would offer new employers, he said: “A few goals? There is a striker, a player who gives his best when he is beside a role attacker. In almost all the teams in which it happened he went into double figures. After relegation Sunderland should facilitate the disposal of the player.”

Sunderland, meanwhile, have learned their Carabao Cup game will now take place in front of the Sky cameras at Bury on Thursday, August 10.

That game, currently, will be played between the opening game of the season against Derby and the trip to Norwich on August 12 although that could now be subject to change too.