Bruce traded in no less than eight players, including Egypt's Ahmed Elmohamady, this summer but insists that the extensive market activity is over for the club.

"The era of big changes is over, definitely," said the Black Cats boss.

"I am approaching a year and a half of a three-year contract and I cannot envisage going and doing at Christmas or next summer what we have just done.

"For a start I will exhaust everyone at the club - and myself! We have had something like 28 out and in, and that not even in a year and a half.

"I cannot see me making more wholesale changes – it would be ridiculous to think it.

"There have been huge, huge changes, but overall I am delighted with what we have done and the squad we have."

Sunderland moved up to 10th place in the Premier League table with a morale-boosting victory over Manchester City ten days ago.

Bruce's men prepare to take on Wigan on Saturday.