SUNDERLAND’S summer overhaul continued today as Jason Steele and Lewis Grabban both agreed deals to take them to Wearside.

The Black Cats continued their pre-season preparations with a goalless draw at Scunthorpe United this evening, but the day’s main action had already taken place away from Glanford Park.

Steele has joined on a permanent basis, with the Black Cats having agreed a fee of around £500,000 with Blackburn Rovers for the former Middlesbrough goalkeeper, who has signed a four-year deal at the Stadium of Light.

Grabban has agreed a season-long loan from Bournemouth, having been unable to force his way into Eddie Howe’s first-team plans at the Vitality Stadium.

Today’s business means Simon Grayson has now completed six signings since taking charge earlier this month, with Steele and Grabban joining Brendan Galloway, Ty Browning, James Vaughan and Aiden McGeady on the list of incomings.

Steele’s arrival is an especially significant one, as Sunderland’s goalkeeping department had been looking alarmingly sparse following the departure of Jordan Pickford and Vito Mannone this summer.

Grayson is also poised to award a 12-month deal to Robbin Ruiter, with the Dutch trialist having made his second pre-season appearance in tonight’s game at Scunthorpe.

However, even if Ruiter signs, Steele is expected to start the season as Sunderland’s number one after he leapt at the chance to leave Ewood Park and remain in the Championship.

The Newton Aycliffe-born 26-year-old is a product of Middlesbrough’s academy, and made 142 senior appearances for the Teessiders after breaking into the first-team ranks.

However, he was sent off at Leeds United in Aitor Karanka’s first game in charge, a moment that effectively signalled the end of his time on Teesside as Karanka cast him into the wilderness.

He joined Blackburn in 2014, and has been Rovers’ established number one for the last three seasons, making 41 Championship starts last term.

A popular, vocal presence in the dressing room, he has always been respected as a talented shot-stopper, and Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray was extremely reluctant to lose him this summer.

Sunderland’s interest has proved impossible to rebuff though, and Steele is set to make his debut in Saturday’s Stadium of Light friendly with Celtic.

“I’m absolutely over the moon,” said the North-Easterner. “It’s a dream come true to sign for such a massive club. My family are pretty much split between the three North-East clubs, so I spent my childhood watching them all and I remember coming to the Stadium of Light with my uncle and cousin.

“I’ve got a lot of experience and played a lot of games – most of which are in the same league – and that’s probably one of the reasons why the gaffer has signed me. Hopefully I can help the team and I’m sure we’ll have a good season. I want just want to work hard, try my best and help the team push on.”

Grabban’s transfer, which will see Sunderland pay around a third of the striker’s £30,000-a-week wages, was confirmed an hour-or-so before Steele’s, with the 29-year-old having moved to Wearside after it became clear he did not have a future at Bournemouth.

Grabban initially joined Bournemouth in a £300,000 move Rotherham United in 2012, scoring 22 goals in a Championship season after helping the Cherries secure promotion from League One, and re-joined the south coast club after a two-year spell at Norwich City.

He spent the second half of last season on loan at Reading, and will bolster a Sunderland attacking line-up that also features James Vaughan, Josh Maja and Joel Asoro.

“The size of the club and its history attracted me, as well as the manager,” said Grabban. “He told me what he wanted and what his ambitions were, and that’s why I’m here. It’s a great opportunity for me, and hopefully I can do something special.”

The Black Cats remain interested in a season-long loan deal for Ross McCormack, although they face competition from Reading, who have also made a formal approach for the out-of-favour Aston Villa forward. They also remain involved in talks with Preston over £4m-rated frontman Jordan Hugill, who impressed under Grayson at Deepdale last season.

Tonight’s game saw Sunderland play out an unremarkable goalless draw that was mainly notable for Ruiter’s superb late save that kept the scoresheet blank.

Jeremain Lens was not involved amid ongoing speculation about his future, but Aiden McGeady was passed fit to make his first start since a £250,000 move from Everton.

The Black Cats barely mustered an effort on goal in an uneventful first half, with Scunthorpe going closest as trailist Hakeeb Adelajun forced a decent save from Ruiter.

George Honeyman finally tested the Scunthorpe goalkeeper at the start of the second half, but it was Scunthorpe who went closest shortly before the hour mark as Funso Ojo crashed a long-range effort against the crossbar.

Honeyman failed to connect with Lee Cattermole’s long ball over the top as the Black Cats finally started to display a degree of fluency, and Iron goalkeeper Matt Gilks was forced into his best save of the game to deny Asoro with 12 minutes left.

The final say went to Ruiter though, with the Dutchman producing an excellent point-blank save from Kevin van Veen.

Sunderland: Ruiter, Matthews, Galloway (Jones 70, (Beadling 90)), Gibson (Ndong 60), O’Shea, Kone, Asoro, Embleton (Cattermole 60), Vaughan (Love 70), Honeyman, McGeady (Khazri 60).