Tony Mowbray has offered a disappointing update to Sunderland’s pursuit of a new forward.
The Black Cats have been searching for a new striker throughout the summer, with the current squad lacking options up front.
Ross Stewart is the main forward in the team, but an Achilles injury has prevented him from competing since January.
Joe Gelhardt arrived in his place during the winter window on loan from Leeds United, but he has since returned to Elland Road.
Sunderland have set their sights on a number of possible transfer targets throughout the summer window but have yet to bring someone in.
The Championship side attempted to re-sign Ellis Simms after his promising loan in the first half of the previous campaign, but he instead opted for a move to Coventry City.
What has Tony Mowbray said about Sunderland’s pursuit of a forward?
Mowbray has suggested that he has no new information to give to supporters on a new signing joining the club.
He admitted his own frustrations ahead of the team’s clash with the Sky Blues this weekend.
“We are all working hard behind the scenes,” said Mowbray, via the Sunderland Echo (13.26).
“We are all frustrated, everybody is working really, really hard to try and get deals done and there are lots of deals that seem to be on the cusp.
“I feel as if I’ve sat here for the last three or four press conferences saying they could be in tomorrow, and they haven’t.
“That’s not through, I don’t tell lies I don’t think.
“We are trying really hard to get these deals done, and they are not easy.
“I have to sit here and be confident that by the end of this window we’ll have some strikers in the building, and by the end of the international break the likes of Ross Stewart, who is out on the grass, will be ready.
“The young French lad Eliezer is telling me he’s only two or three weeks away as well.
“You can’t just go and bring one in because he has a number nine on his back. We have to get the right one for the club.”
Sunderland have won just one of their opening three league games, which has caused reports to surface suggesting Mowbray’s position at the club is in danger.
The 59-year-old earned a lot of praise for leading the Black Cats to the play-off places last year, but could yet find himself leaving Sunderland if results don’t improve.
Does Tony Mowbray deserve some slack?
Mowbray did extremely well to take a young Sunderland side to the play-offs last year, so it would be far too soon to dismiss him as manager off the back of a couple bad results.
That the recruitment team is struggling to get deals over the line won’t make things easier for the management staff.
Sunderland are running out of time to get someone in, with the situation surrounding Stewart also quite messy.
The Scot could leave in a year’s time as a free agent, which would be a big blow to Sunderland.
But that only emphasises the need to bring someone in before this window shuts, with deadline day approaching.