SUNDERLAND are ready to increase their offer for former Middlesbrough striker Charlie Wyke after having an initial six-figure bid knocked back by Bradford City.

The Black Cats’ shortage in the attacking third has been highlighted in their opening two friendlies of the summer and the search has led to Wyke.

Sunderland were thankful to young forward Benjamin Kimpioka’s late leveller at Hartlepool United on Saturday which prevented a second straight defeat to non-league neighbours.

Jack Ross, the Sunderland manager, was unable to field trialist Anton Forrester as his centre-forward against Pools because of injury, while Joel Asoro completed a £2m move to Swansea City over the weekend.

And Ross is working hard behind-the-scenes to try to get a couple of new forwards through the door, although he knows that there is unlikely to be any real progress made before Tuesday’s trip to Grimsby Town.

Wyke, who sat out Bradford's defeat at York, is a proven League One goalscorer and Bradford are doing everything they can to keep him. The fact he has entered the final 12 months of his contract means the Bantams must decide whether to sell now or risk losing him for nothing.

His valuation will only go down and Peterborough are known to have had a £500,000 bid rejected earlier in the summer.

Ross said: "He's a player that I've known about before I came to England and I think, when you see the department we need to strengthen in and the type we need to strengthen, he's player that I like.

"Obviously he's contracted to another club and we need to see how that progresses over the coming days as well."

Sunderland do not have a lot of cash to spend but the chances of being able to increase bids could depend largely on players departing.

Wahbi Khazri is close to joining St Etienne for an initial £7m, while Didier Ndong, Papy Djilobodji and Lamine Kone are all capable of bringing in money. Asoro’s switch to the Swans helps too.

Sunderland have already let a number of players go including Jack Rodwell. He was a controversial figure in his final year at the club because of his lucrative contract and lack of football, and an agreement was made to have his contract terminated.

It had been thought he would be heading to the MLS but it has now emerged he could be joining Watford. The Hornets’ boss Javi Gracia has been impressed with him during training and is considering making him a contract offer which will provide a fresh Premier League chance.

Ross is desperate to see improvements in the way Sunderland play as the new season approaches – and he was grateful for Kimpioka’s last gasp 25-yard goal at Victoria Park on Saturday.

Hartlepool new-boy Niko Muir, a former Hendon striker who was in the Isthmian League last season, scored his first for the club when he capitalised on an error by Sunderland defender Donald Love.

Hartlepool, who were solid as a three at the back including Andrew Davies, were then left frustrated when youngster Kimpioka hammered home from distance.

"It was a good run out against a very good team," said Bates. “It was the exact opposite to the Billingham game, where we had most of the possession.

"I was really pleased with the performance - particularly the shape and formation. I think it worked really well.

"Defensively, I thought, for the first 60 minutes, we coped well with what they threw at us. There were lots of positives to take from that game, despite the late goal. Overall I was very pleased."

HARTLEPOOL : Loach (Catterick 61), Richardson (Hawkins 61), Magnay (Miller 61), Davies (Laing 61), Anderson (Kioso 61), Kitching, Donaldson (Woods 61), Newton (Featherstone 61), Noble (Munns 61), Muir (James 61), Hawkes (Gioukoudis 61)

SUNDERLAND: McLaughlin (Stryjek 66), Matthews, Love, Flanagan (Taylor 81), Hume, McGeouch (Mumba 73), Honeyman (Molyneux 81), Cattermole (Robson 66), McManaman (Nelson 81), Maja (Maguire 66), Gooch (Kimpioka 81)