Sunderland have a raft of senior players coming off contract.
The Evening Chronicle says such are the financial implications of losing Premier League status that all decisions on recruitment and retention of players are currently on hold until the club's fate is decided.
Eight players - Colback, Bardsley, Oscar Ustari, Craig Gardner, Seb Larsson, Carlos Cuellar, Dossena and Keiren Westwood - will be out of contract at the end of the season.
While Cuellar, Dossena and Westwood are likely to move on regardless, new deals for the other will also hinge on the club's league status.
