Tony Mowbray wants Sunderland to sign a mobile striker before the deadline

 Sunderland head coach Tony Mowbray is actively looking to sign a mobile striker who can run in behind and stretch their Championship opponents. The club’s summer transfer business has focused on bringing in young, high-potential players, with reinforcements in defense, midfield, and forward positions. Mowbray has used midfielders Bradley Dack and Jobe Bellingham as false nines in early fixtures, but he is determined to sign another number nine striker to provide speed and threat in behind the opposition’s defense.

Sunderland head coach Tony Mowbray has claimed he wants the North East club to sign a mobile striker that can “run in behind” and “stretch” their Championship opposition.

The Black Cats boss has made it no secret that he’s desperate to sign a new centre-forward before the summer transfer window closes on Friday 1st September.

Sunderland 2023 summer transfers

 

Sunderland’s summer transfer business has been impressive for the most part – with their focus once again on bringing in young, high-potential players.

20-year-old centre-backs Jenson Seelt and Nectarios Triantis have joined from PSV Eindhoven and Central Coast Mariners respectively while a seven-figure fee was paid to sign midfielder 17-year-old Jobe Bellingham from Birmingham City and 23-year-old goalkeeper Nathan Bishop has arrived from Manchester United on a permanent deal.

Experienced playmaker Bradley Dack has reunited with Mowbray to bolster his creative options but so far the only forward reinforcements have been made with the future in mind, in the form of 20-year-old Luis Hemir and 18-year-old Eliezer Mayenda.

With Ross Stewart still recovering from injury, the Sunderland boss has used Dack and Bellingham as false nines in early fixtures but reiterated that work is underway to sign another number nine.

Tony Mowbray on Sunderland striker search

Speaking to Chronicle Live, Mowbray has revealed exactly what he’s looking for from a new striker.

He said: “We’re trying to control the game on most occasions, and then it’s about seeing whether teams are going to press or sit off in a block.

“That’s why ultimately you need some mobility at the top end because if people are sitting in a mid-block and your centre-half doesn’t think they can get through the lines, sometimes you have to go over the top with some speed and some threat.

“At the moment that’s what’s missing from this team, because that’s not really Hemir or Dack’s game. Jobe has that powerful running action that can pressure people, of course, but it’s not necessarily speed.

“If we can get a striker in who wants to run in behind and wants to stretch them, it’ll give us more space us to play in – that’ll help us create more chances and win more games.”

Sunderland striker targets

It would be no surprise to see Premier League clubs look to send their youngsters on loan to the Championship in the final week of the window and the Black Cats could look to take advantage to solve their issue up top.

Everton’s Tom Cannon has been linked with a move to the Stadium of Light after impressing with Preston North End in the second half of last season but there are other clubs in pursuit as well and it might cost the Wearsiders £1 million in loan fees.

Football League World exclusively revealed last week that Fulham’s Jay Stansfield is a player on the Black Cats’ radar as well.

QPR and Millwall have also been linked with the 20-year-old, who enjoyed a fruitful spell at Exeter City last term, but his departure may well be delayed by the recent departure of Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Assuming Fulham sign a replacement, Stansfield could move on before the deadline.