Tony Mowbray has claimed he is confident Sunderland will add to their striking department before their first game of the season.
Sunderland currently have just one fit natural striker in Luis Hemir. The 19-year-old joined Sunderland from Benfica earlier this summer and whilst the youngster has had an impressive pre-season so far it may be too much too soon to rest all hope on him in the Championship.
Ross Stewart won’t be back in contention until the end of September and that means Sunderland will have at least ten games without the prolific goalscorer this season.
Last season the Black Cats struggled for depth in the striking department and it was a situation which arguably cost them promotion. But, Mowbray appears confident additions will be made before welcoming Ipswich Town to the north east on August 6th. Speaking to The Northern Echo, he said:
“I think we’ve got the nucleus of a team – probably even beyond the nucleus of a team.
“As I’ve been saying, I think we still need some additions at the top end of the pitch, and we’re working really hard behind the scenes to make that happen. I’m pretty confident that given the timescale to the next game, we’ll have some help in, in that area.
“I just feel at the moment that we probably need to supplement Hemir and make sure that we’re not relying on a young boy to be the striker for too long. We need some options.”
Patience is key
Sunderland’s recruitment strategy nowadays won’t just go for any player for the sake of it. If the player doesn’t fit the data plan or the price range Sunderland are after then he will be forgotten and another target will be pursued.
This is likely why Sunderland have only made one striking addition so far this summer, it’s vital for the Black Cats to get the right man in and given their recent success it’s hard to question that plan at the moment.
Many believe this season looks set to be a lot tougher than last and starting on the front foot is crucial for any side. Mowbray will once again have to use his experience to guide a young team through a long, competitive campaign but momentum is with Sunderland following their play-off appearance last time around.
It will be interesting to see which striker Sunderland target this summer with the recruitment plan often targeting unknown young talent with plenty of potential.
