Tony Mowbray says Bailey Wright remains 'very much' a part of Sunderland's setup and has hinted he is unlikely to leave Wearside this month despite the Australia international being linked with a move. Wright has found himself pushed down the pecking order this season, with Danny Batth, Luke O'Nien, Dennis Cirkin, and summer arrivals Daniel Ballard and Aji Alese all picked ahead of him in central defence at various times.
And reports over the last week have suggested that Wright has emerged as a transfer target for Scottish Premiership sides Aberdeen and Hibernian - the latter giving Wright an opportunity for a reunion with his old Sunderland and Bristol City boss Lee Johnson. But Mowbray said today that Sunderland are currently light on numbers in central defence, with O'Nien starting a three-game suspension while Alese and Cirkin are still on the injured list, and there is also a concern over either Ballard or Batth although the head coach would not be drawn on which one.
Sunderland were waiting on the results of a scan this afternoon and, depending on the outcome, Wright could be drafted into the starting XI for Sunday's home game against Middlesbrough. Given the lack of numbers in that area at present, Mowbray indicated that Wright would be unlikely to move on this month - although he did acknowledge that when everyone is available his squad does have an 'overload' in central defence.
