Alex Neil wants to bring in 'one or two' players to provide cover and competition for Ross Stewart before the season kicks-off - but admits the timing of some deals may not be within Sunderland's control. Stewart remains the Black Cats' only senior specialist number nine, although Neil does have other options up front such as pressing players such as Jack Clarke or Leon Dajaku into advanced positions.
But there is no doubt that Sunderland's lack of out-and-out strikers is the biggest single concern a fortnight out from the Wearsider's Championship curtain-raiser against Coventry City on Sunday, July 31. Asked whether he still needed to add more than one frontman, Neil said: "Yeah, definitely - and that's only for that position!
"There are other positions that I think we still need to recruit in, as well. Everybody behind the scenes is working together, we know what we have to do, so it's not as though this is just my feeling - it's the feeling across the board.
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"We just need to work hard to get them across the line. You always want a replacement, so if Ross is not available we have someone who can come in and do a job.
"Equally, you also need to competition to push him because everybody isn't going to play well all the time so you need to have other guys who can step in. We also need variety, a different type, someone who offers something slightly different than Ross brings.
"We've still got signings to make in a variety of positions, so we know we've got work to do. We've worked well and we've worked quietly in the background to get players in, which has been good, but we all understand we have more to do because it's going to be a long, hard, difficult, season in the Championship.
"It's a tough level to operate at, particularly given the fact we've not been there for a significant amount of time, and I think it will certainly open some eyes when we get there."
Clarke's natural postion is out wide, but he can play across the front and operated in that role at times last season and also in Wednesday's friendly against Roma in Portugal. And if Sunderland reach the opening day without any more attacking recruits, he could again be deployed in an advanced role alongside Stewart.
Neil said: "I'd hope that's not the situation [that Sunderland have not signed another striker before the season starts], but we may well find ourselves there because there are an awful lot of things that are outwith our control. It [playing Clarke up front] is an option, though.
"The simple fact is that I'll have the tools that I have, like I did last season, and I'll try and make the best of what we have got. Equally, we want to try and improve the squad and strengthen the squad to give us the best chance of being successful, but I'm pretty sure every team is the same."
Stewart did not feature against Roma in midweek due to a minor injury, but the Scotland international returned for yesterday's 2-0 friendly win against Dundee United at Tannadice, and played just over an hour. Neil said: "There were no problems. I certainly wouldn't have risked him yesterday if there were any issues at all.
"Ross wanted to play longer but he's now played 45 [against Rangers], 60 [against Dundee United] and we'll build him up to 90 in the next one that he plays. I think that's a good progression for him."
Sunderland have already signed four players this summer, converting Dajaku's loan into a permanent deal, adding defender Dan Ballard from Arsenal, bringing Clarke back to Wearside, and on Friday signing centre-back Aji Alese from West Ham. At 22, Ballard is the oldest of the new intake and Neil explains: "What we all need to be clear of is the strategy of the club.
"The strategy of this club is to buy young, developing, players, improve them to create value within the team and the squad, and they will be supplemented by senior players in there - a Danny Batth, a Bailey Wright, a Corry Evans, an Alex Pritchard. The majority of our transfer fees, in fact pretty much all of our transfer fees, will be spent on younger players - not on guys that are older."
Sunderland have changed the way they recruit over the last 18 months, but Neil insists he still has the final say over new signings. He said: "There's never ever a club, certainly in the last ten years, where a manager solely picks a player.
"It's a collective effort. We need to make sure the money is right, we need to make sure the progress in terms of where we want to take the team is right, the positions they cover off, but equally I'll have the final decision on whether I want to sign a player or not, and I think that's vitally important."
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