Tony Mowbray says Sunderland are trying to push through a couple of transfer deals to add to the new recruits already in place. The Black Cats head coach was delighted to have four new faces - Jobe Bellingham, Hemir Semedo, Necatrios Triantis, and Jenson Seelt - in place before the players returned to the Academy of Light for pre-season training a fortnight ago.
But the squad is still understrength in some key areas, not least as far as strikers are concerned with Portuguese teenager Hemir currently the club's only fit senior frontman, as Ross Stewart continues his recovery from injury. Mowbray has repeatedly insisted that the club's priority must be to bring in more firepower ahead of the start of the season, and while transfers are principally the domain of sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and head of recruitment Stuart Harvey, he says the club has a couple of things 'in the pipeline'.
"Saying things are in the pipeline is good," Mowbray said following the weekend's friendly wins against South Shields and Gateshead. "I'm aware of a few situations we're trying to push on.
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"I'm not that closely involved in it, I'm just hoping they pull through and if we do sign the players we're looking to recruit I'll be happy because they look like good footballers."
Sunderland beat Shields 4-3 and Gateshead 3-2, and Mowbray added: "I'm moaning that we don't have any strikers but we scored seven goals in two games.
"As the window unfolds in front of us I'm sure reinforcements will be coming, plus the injured players [will be back]."
While there is still much work to do in the window, Mowbray has been encouraged by the way things are shaping up so far - not only with the number of additions, but also the fact that they have arrived early to give him the maximum amount of time to work with them and integrate them into his squad. He said: "It's amazing [to get four signings in so early]. I said to Stuart Harvey, I can't remember ever having so many players through the door before we come back for the first day of pre-season, even though one or two of them had got knocks and Triantis had a few weeks off because he played in the Toulon Tournament.
"Jenson has just picked up an ankle injury which has kept him out for a few weeks but he'll be fine shortly and it's good to get them sorted."
