AFTER securing Sunderland's Premier League status, Paolo Di Canio is set to make considerable changes to his playing squad over the summer, but the Black Cats boss has emphasised the importance of the club's academy.

Di Canio's first mission of keeping the Wearsiders in the top flight was completed on Tuesday, when Wigan Athletic failed to beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, a result which relegated Roberto Martinez's side.

Sunderland will complete their league programme against Tottenham on Sunday and once he has finished all of his end of season debriefs, Di Canio will turn his attention to recruitment.

The Black Cats boss has already hinted he will make big changes to his playing squad in a bid to avoid another battle at the bottom.

Di Canio has already began implementing his own rules and guidelines and has warned the current squad that anyone unwilling to follow his ideas will be shipped out immediately.

And it isn't only the playing staff Di Canio is keen to change. Chief scout Bryan 'Pop' Robson has already left the club with Roberto De Fanti set to be appointed director of football.

De Fanti is currently working on a consultancy basis as chairman Ellis Short looks to revamp the club's scouting and recruitment, but the Italian is set to be installed into a more formal position that will see him assume control of the club's signing policy.

Several new faces are likely to arrive at the Stadium of Light over the next few months, but Di Canio has also promised to work with the club's youth coaches to ensure a healthy production line links the academy to the first team.

"We had already in last few weeks one eye in there (the academy) as we have to make sure that in the future this is a club that can spend the money to bring players, but in a big geographic area like Sunderland we have to bring up some players like Jack Colback that can feed the first team," the said Di Canio.

"I don't want to say three players per season or even one every two years as it is not easy talking about Premier League players.

"But we have to make sure we are working well and already the coaches, the academy, the scouts, they did a good job.

"We know that some players will join us, young players in the summer. We have to make sure we deliver the right job for them to be ready when they step forward to the first-team and you've seen already that some players have joined us and others will probably come to the bench as we are very short.

"We don't want to change (the academy) as what we've seen is that it is a good academy with good people, good professionals, we can keep going.

"It is obvious that something changes even at the top, talking about scouts. We have to make sure this mix can bring good young players with good potential and transform them into good footballers working probably in a different manner.

"Also the athleticism. Even at Swindon I discovered that at 18/19-years-old they still were physically like they were 14/15 so the process of improving the physical side is crucial. But we have to respect their age and the way they grew up as we cannot destroy the kids."

Di Canio has already seen proof Sunderland's academy can produce first-team stars and the Italian has been impressed by one player in particular.

Colback graduated up from the youth ranks and is now regarded as a valuable member of the first-team squad, and Di Canio hopes more with follow in the 23-year-old's footsteps.

He said: "Jack is ready. You can see he is like a pitbull on the field. he has qualities, he can cover different positions on the field. He is a versatile player.

"I am not surprised, I am very happy because he was the best in the last two games he played in my opinion, the way he interpreted the situation, the way he went through a situation the way I told him to.

"He was fantastic. He has to improve a lot but he is intelligent. Let us think for the future in the positive and there is a good link between the youth and the first team. We have to be more close."