Sunderland: Tony Mowbray on incoming striker at Sunderland

Sunderland Profile | PlanetSport

TONY Mowbray has outlined what he believes is the missing ingredient from his side as Sunderland continue their efforts to sign a much-needed striker.

Mowbray says the Black Cats are lacking mobility in attack, an area that should be addressed in the coming days as the Championship club push to get a deal over the line.

With Ross Stewart still at least a month away from being ready to return from his serious Achilles injury, summer signing Hemir is the only fit recognised striker on the books. But the 20-year-old lacks experience and Mowbray has stressed the need for patience with the Portuguese frontman.

Hemir started the first game of the season against Ipswich Town but was a substitute for the trip to Preston and home win over Rotherham, with Bradley Dack and Jobe Bellingham deputising up-front.

While Bellingham in particular made a success of his stint up-top – scoring both goals in the Rotherham win – it’s clearly not a long-term answer to Sunderland’s striker issues.

“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,” said Mowbray.

“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.

Tony Mowbray accepts Sunderland's expectations will rise next season - but recruitment holds the key - Chronicle Live

“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.”

Mowbray said last week that a deal to sign a striker was close. Sunderland’s head coach will provide an update when he speaks to the media this afternoon.

Fulham’s Jay Stansfield – who is wanted by as many as five Championship clubs – is one striker of the strikers on Sunderland’s wishlist, but Mowbray confirmed last week that three other frontmen are also of interest.

Stansfield impressed on loan at Exeter last season and Marco Silva says Fulham are carefully considering the next move for the young striker. Sunderland have a fine reputation for their handling of young players, particularly on the back of Amad Diallo’s success last season.

Sunderland have tabled bids for Nazariy Rusyn this summer, but the Ukrainian striker is also wanted by clubs in Belgium.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi from Palace to Sunderland: What do we know so far? Is it likely to happen?

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi receives first international call-up with England U20s - football.london

Reports in recent days have linked the Black Cats with Crystal Palace’s young star.

After an impressive loan spell in League One last season, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi looks destined for a step up in levels this summer.

Indeed, at Charlton Athletic, the Crystal Palace prospect scored an astonishing 15 league goals and registered eight league assists, which alongside his general performances, helped him win plenty of supporters over.

Not only that, but he was also awarded with many accolades, too, winning both Charlton’s ‘Player’s Player of the year’ award as well as the club’s ‘Supporter’s Player of the year’ award.

Furthermore, Rak-Sakyi was nominated by the EFL their young player of the season ward in League One, too.

The next logical step for Rak-Sakyi appears to be a loan move to the senond tier, but, there is comepetition for hs signatrure.

What do we know about Sunderland’s transfer interest in Jesurun Rak-Sakyi?

Indeed, on Sunday, Alan Nixon credited the club with an interest via Patreon.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi: Crystal Palace's teenage goal machine who Chelsea let go | Goal.com

According to Nixon, Sunderland have turned their attention to Rak-Sakyi because of interest in one of their own players – Patrick Roberts.

Nixon reveals that both Celtic and Southampton are keen on Roberts, meaning that Sunderland have now joined the Rak-Sakyi race.

We say race because several other Championship sides have also been credited with an interest in the 20-year-old.

Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Birmingham City, Hull City and Blackburn Rovers have all been linked with the Crystal Palace wide man this summer followng his impressive loan spell at Charlton, for example.

As yet, no decision has been made on Rak-Sakyi’s future, but with the transfer deadline growing increasingly closer, one must be made one way or the other very soon.

Is Jesurun Rak-Sakyi likely to move to Sunderland?

At this stage, it is definitely hard to say with any confidence that Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is likely to move to Sunderland.

This is the simply the case because there are so many factors at play in any potential deal.

First and foremost, Nixon’s report above states that Sunderland are keen on Rak-Saky due to Celtic and Southampton coming in for Patrick Roberts.

Does this mean that if Roberts does not move on to either of those clubs, that Sunderland are no longer interested? That is not a question we know the answer to at this stage.

Furthermore, even if Sunderland remain interested, Crystal Palace and the player himself have so many options to choose from.

It may be that he prefers a move closer to home, for example, or to a different manager whom he may have had a positive interaction with.

There is still so much to be decided from Crystal Palace’s perspective and, therefore, at this stage, it’s impossible to say a move to Sunderland is ‘likely’.

Subjectively, though, what you can say is that given the young profile of the squad at the Stadium of Light, and Tony Mowbray’s work at the club, Sunderland could potentially be a good destination for Rak-Sakyi.

It is now up to Charlton Athletic to see if they agree with that decision, or indeed if they decide upon sending Diallo elsewhere.