PHIL PARKINSON insists Sunderland have made fresh “dialogue” with clubs in an attempt to get transfer targets over the line before next week’s double header away from Wearside.

The Black Cats head into a hectic final week of the window with a point to show from Doncaster Rovers’ visit to the Stadium of Light in a game that ended goalless.

Sunderland climbed up to fifth and will hope results go for them over the weekend to keep them within five points of the League One automatic promotion places.

Parkinson will then take Sunderland to Tranmere on Wednesday and then to Portsmouth next Friday for the game the following day, meaning the long trek will take place on deadline day.

“We are working towards a couple more additions,” said Parkinson. “If we get the ones we want then great, if not we will stick with what we have got. We have players like Tom Flanagan and Ethan Robson who did not make the 18 tonight, obviously Will Grigg too.

“If we make the right ones, hopefully, then we will see. Ideally, without a doubt, we will get them in soon and will try to get a couple more in before the Tranmere game because we will travel down to Portsmouth towards the end of the week, working again and see where it takes us. Dialogue has kept going between one or two clubs.”

Hearts have had an offer of £200,000 accepted by Burton Albion for Liam Boyce, who is known to have been a to attacking target of Sunderland. Bristol City will make a decision on teenage forward Antoine Semenyo later in the window.

“We have Charlie Wyke, Kyle Lafferty and Grigg playing that No 9 role, others can play there as well, so as much as we want options we don’t want too many players to give ourselves problems,” said Parkinson.

“People may say we lacked firepower (against Doncaster) but we didn’t in the last couple of home games … we do have options as well and we have to get Lafferty up to speed.”

Parkinson has got his full Sunderland squad in training on Saturday so that he can get the likes of Lafferty and Bailey Wright up to speed ahead of next week’s’ games following their arrivals in the last ten days.

“Tomorrow is important for Kyle. He is getting stronger by the day,” said Parkinson. “We will have a practice match tomorrow for a lot of the lads out of the team, 11 v 11, in training, a lot of players like Kyle and Bailey will figure in that game and that is important.”

That game will also be used for those players who have lost their places during Sunderland’s recent resurgence, like Tom Flanagan who was not included on the bench following the arrival of Wright.

“I wanted to include Bailey Wright because he can cover all three across the back. It was a tough call. I can only pick 18,” said the manager.

“We have a busy week coming up. We knew the situation if Tranmere got through in the FA Cup. Look, over Christmas we went games within two or three days of each other. We have players who have not played that much so they play tomorrow in preparation of this week when they could be needed. It is not ideal to travel like we are going to, we have questioned the decision and we will have to deal with it.”

Sunderland were unable to make it four wins in a row last night against Doncaster, despite an improved second half showing having started the game disappointingly on home turf.

In the end Luke O’Nien, Chris Maguire and Duncan Watmore all had great chances to collect three points for Sunderland but chances were wasted. Parkinson, whose side are unbeaten in eight, is not too disappointed.

“First half we were 100 miles an hour without and with the ball, second half we added composure, got in some great positions couldn’t find a goal,” he said. “Credit to Doncaster, they stiffened up the midfield area, we just needed to add that composure and we got some fantastic positions.

“They did defend well. Very solid and resolute in everything they did, but equally I thought we concentrated at the back very well. We have to make sure the back door is shut and we don’t lose it, the concentration levels were great by our men at the back. We go into a big week for us now on the road with a point.

“We had good elements to our play, in that first period when we were not at best, we had to make sure we defend properly and we restricted them. I thought the ref was poor to start, that was my assessment of the first twenty minutes, Charlie’s booking was a strange call, but after that he did OK.”