SULLEY Muntari could become the highest profile victim of Sunderland’s excruciating slump in form as Steve Bruce is ready to completely change his summer transfer plans.

Bruce had initially thought he would only have to make minor improvements to his first-team squad in the summer as the Black Cats hovered on the fringes of the European places at the start of February.

But a run of seven defeats in eight games and a crippling injury crisis has persuaded Bruce a more drastic overhaul is needed to ensure the Wearsiders do not suffer a repeat next term.

Muntari’s poor form has all but ended Sunderland’s interest in turning the Ghana international’s loan move from Inter Milan into a permanent deal, while John Mensah’s inconsistency and continued physical frailty mean a third season on loan from Lyon looks unlikely.

Bruce will move for long-term target Charles N’Zogbia as soon as the season ends, but he fears he will have to sign two new strikers because of another serious knee injury to Fraizer Campbell which could rule him out for up to a year.

With continuing doubts about Sunderland’s ability to bring Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck back to the North East, either permanently or on another season’s loan, Bruce knows the goalposts have shifted dramatically in terms of what he needs to do recruitment-wise.

“Certainly we will have to look in the summer and have a revamp,” said Bruce, who predicted he will put out the youngest side in Sunderland’s Premier League history at Birmingham today.

“Certainly if Fraizer Campbell does need surgery, we will have just one striker and will have to do a major revamp. A major rebuilding job is required again. Five six months ago, I was looking to just cherry pick.

“I’m confident I will get the support from above. Hey, listen, you cannot keep asking the owner to keep piling millions and millions in, but I think he is a clever enough man to realise we have been unfortunate, really unfortunate.