SUNDERLAND manager Alex Neil has described the club’s movement in the transfer window as a ‘moving project’ as they head into the weekend’s game with no imminent arrivals at the club.

The Black Cats face the long trip to Bristol City this weekend having spent a week on the training ground but will head to Ashton Gate with a similar squad to the one that kicked off their season last weekend against Coventry City.

While there hasn’t been any further additions to the squad, Neil remains happy with what he has at his disposal heading into the game. “What I think about is what I have currently got and where we are” said the Sunderland boss.

“I want to bring more competition in, I want to bring more players in that are going to test the lads that are already here. Equally, you want to strengthen the squad and the starting eleven if you can. But as far as I’m concerned, I look at the lads that I’ve got and prepare for the game with what we are doing just now.

“It might look different come the end of the window because hopefully we’ve added a few that will give us more competition and more strength in depth but currently the lads that we’ve got at the moment, like they showed on Sunday, are capable of performing well.

“I think there are certain positions we need to bring more cover in, there are positions strengthen and positions we need more competition in. We’re hopeful that we will get a few deals done between now and the end of the window.”

Football clubs have found the current transfer window to be a difficult one to navigate through with clubs keeping a tight group on players throughout the summer. Those without significant spending power are being made to wait until clubs higher up the football pyramid have conducted their business.

Based on his experience, Neil’s prediction is that business will get done across the board for all clubs as the window heads towards it’s deadline date at the end of this month. But it won’t turn out to be the finished product that was planned at the start of the summer.

He continued: “What happens is that there is a lot of indecision in football because everyone aims there and what happens is you start to work your way down because of lot of the players are unavailable, there is a lot that can’t get done.

“Fortunately, there are ones that can get done hence the reason why we’ve made some signings but towards the end of the window, there are players that become available that you don’t expect to become available so dynamics completely change.

“If teams pick up injuries, they might well keep players that they were otherwise going to let out. If you lose somebody, the likelihood is the guys in that position vitally important at that point because you are a number down so there is a whole host of different dynamics that come into play.

“What happens is your best laid plans at the start of the window can look very different come the end of the window. That’s why it is a moving project so it is frustrating. We’d like it to end before a ball is kicked because then you know exactly where you are with your squad and you can plan accordingly in the next few months but that’s never been the way it is in England. It will remain that way and we just need to get on with it.”