TONY MOWBRAY has admitted the time has arrived for Sunderland to take the plunge on a striker signing.

The Black Cats have been discussing potential attacking signings for a number of weeks, but as things stand, they are still to table an offer for a new centre-forward.

Mowbray has watched his side lose to both Ipswich Town and Crewe Alexandra this week, with both games highlighting the current lack of options in the final third.

With Ross Stewart set to be sidelined until the end of last week, Mowbray is hoping Sunderland’s recruitment team will make a move in the next few days.

READ MORE:

The Black Cats head coach spent an hour or so in the wake of last night’s Carabao Cup defeat discussing transfer targets with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and head of recruitment Stuart Harvey.

Mowbray said: “We’ve been talking about strikers and recruitment, and hopefully that will change over the next few days. We need to try to put some players into the football club if we can.

“We are discussing things. There’s always options, and the recruitment department have done an amazing job over the last few years at this football club. The options are laid out. Some are pretty expensive, some are pretty doable, and some are stretching us to where we don’t really want to go to at this minute.

“What do we do? The club will make the right decision, I’m sure. We need to back Stuart Harvey. He works extraordinarily hard, and he’s given us the options. We’ll sit there with Kristjaan, and with Veno (Mark Venus) and the two Mikes, Proctor and Dodds, and the goalkeeping coach, and we’re discussing the next option, really.

“Are we going to bring one in? Is he the right one? You need to get the right one, but you might have to wait for the right one, so are we going to go weeks and weeks, and then it falls through?

“I think the best thing is to get one in the building now. Then let’s work with him.

“I’m not sure we’re in the market to get the finished article. I think we’re in the market to sign young footballers that all need polishing up, so I don’t think we’ll be getting the finished article, but still, let’s get one more in the building and get to work.”