SUNDERLAND are pushing to sign strikers on permanent and loan deals this month, with the Black Cats continuing to closely monitor developments at Everton amid a possible Stadium of Light return for Ellis Simms.

Tony Mowbray wants at least one striker in before the end of the month to offer support and cover for Ross Stewart after Simms was recalled by the Toffees when the window opened.

In an ideal world, Mowbray would like a loanee in the mould of Simms to come in ready to make an impact in the Championship which would allow a young striker, signed on a permanent deal, to focus on settling in in the second half of the season ready to make a mark next term.

Mowbray met with recruitment chiefs at the Academy of Light yesterday to discuss the latest state of play in the club's push to make signings, with the head coach confident his squad will be stronger come the end of the window.

A striker is the priority, and asked whether he'd prefer a loan or permanent deal, Mowbray said: "I think both are appropriate. We do need to try and sign our own players but to help our situation a loan isn't a bad option either.

"I do think the priority is to sign footballers that we think are the right quality to help the club going forward, because loans obviously go back to their parent clubs.

"This is why the policy of signing young players fits in really. If you bring a loan player and he's the man for now alongside Ross, potentially the younger one gets game time off the bench and you filter him in.

"If the loan goes back at the end of the season then you've got a young player who's had six months integrated into the club and for the next season is ready to hit the ground running."

Simms was ideal support for Stewart in the first half of the season and his return to Goodison Park was a blow. But if Everton are successful in strengthening their forward line this month, they could yet allow Simms out again - and the only possible destination for the striker would be Sunderland, having already played for two clubs this season.

Mowbray said: "They're either keeping him or he's coming back here. They might sign a £50m centre-forward, then they have Calvert-Lewin and a couple of other options who can play off the front. It depends what Frank (Lampard) thinks really.

"It's their decision, not ours, but what we do know is if the phone rings and they let him back out, he can come here and by then we might have signed a young striker, let's wait and see.

"If he comes, there's no integration into the club, he knows the players, the coach, the club. If that option is there for us it's something I'm pretty sure we'd look at. But we can't stand still and hope that happens. We need to keep moving and we need to try and bring a striker in if we can."

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On Sunderland's transfer efforts in general, Mowbray said: "Like every window, it's very rare you have all your ducks lined up and you sign players from day one. We are working hard. Conversations are being had, not necessarily by me but meetings today are telling us where we are with certain deals.

"Are we confident? I think we'll sign some players. Some have gone out on loan and some might go out. It's not wise to come out of the window less well off than when you went in. We know we need to replace some of the players who have gone out on loan to develop. Hopefully we get that business done so we come out feeling stronger."

Weekly transfer meetings attended by all of the club's recruitment staff are held at the training base but during a window the head coach is constantly in touch with bosses.

Mowbray said: "You generally put one (meeting) in a week but then you might have emergency ones where you need to make a decision this afternoon on a telephone call. They're there all the time during the window, and everyone is updating each other.

"Sometimes I'll have a conversation with a member of staff I know from this club or that club, Kristjaan (Speakman) could be speaking to a CEO or sporting director, we just keep sharing the information on what's being said, what we think. We'll be discussing the options that we have."