Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce has revealed that his main priority in the January transfer window is to sign a new defender.

The Black Cats are currently second from bottom of the Premier League table and they have lost their last four matches against Arsenal, Watford, Chelsea and Manchester City.

The Wearsiders have conceded more goals than any other side in the division so far this campaign and their recent struggles have prompted Allardyce to confirm that he will be actively seeking defensive reinforcements during the transfer window.

He said: “We’ve got to get back to being a resilient defensive unit, but the backline and the goalkeeper have to be the ones that ultimately secure those clean sheets, so a defender’s my first priority, a central defender.”

The former West Ham boss admits that he may have to take his search abroad, as he believes that Premier League rivals are unlikely to sell to Sunderland.

He added: “Probably it’ll have to be from abroad, by the looks of what’s about and available in this country. I think it would be very difficult to secure a player from any club in the Premier League because I don’t think they’d want to let anybody go.”

Sunderland have won just three of their 18 league matches this season and are available at 1.13 to be relegated to the Championship.