KRISTJAAN Speakman says Sunderland did everything in their power to keep Ross Stewart at the club, but believes the Black Cats are well equipped to cope with the exit of the striker after building a versatile new-look frontline.

Speakman says Sunderland's "number one priority" was to agree a new contract with Stewart - who was into the final 12 months of his deal at the Stadium of Light - but once it became clear that wasn't going to happen, the Black Cats turned their attention to getting the best possible deal for the Scot striker.

Stewart completed a deadline day move to Southampton for a fee of £8m up-front, with the Wearsiders potentially in line to receive a further £4m in add-ons.

And he was replaced by Mason Burstow and Naziriy Rusyn, who joined Hemir and Eliezer Mayenda - arrivals earlier in the summer - to complete Sunderland's new-look frontline.

Highly-rated Chelsea striker Burstow arrived on a season-long loan, while Rusyn - a target throughout the summer - signed a long-term deal at the Stadium of Light, as did Hemir and Mayenda.

"For us it's about trying to make sure we have a flexible forward line that can score goals and can work together," said Speakman.

"We're not a team that requires that pinpoint No.9. We play lots of different shapes and change within games. But we want players who can play different roles and we think across the four players we have some real variety in there. Hopefully what that does is equips the coaches to make sure the team is as capable and functional on a given Saturday against a given opponent and we can come out on top."

Stewart scored 40 goals in 80 Sunderland appearances, including 10 in just 13 outings last season. Lengthy contract negotiations took place between Sunderland and Stewart but there was no sign of a breakthrough, which led to the Black Cats making the "difficult decision" to cash in.

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Speakman told the club website: "It's was a very complex matter because the player has performed to a very high level for our football club and we feel privileged to have had him here.

"We were really proud of the progress he made here. People will have probably made a judgement on Ross Stewart joining when he came here. We have maximised his potential and he maximised his opportunity here.

"Sometimes that's the outcome, people will move on and have different opportunities.

"What we had to do is ensure we protect the club and what we tried to do with that situation is make the best possible offer to retain him, which was our number one priority, and I said that throughout all the communication internally and externally.

"But there also comes a moment when you have to make a difficult decision and once you've made that difficult decision - and it was probably a difficult decision for the player as well to move on - then we had to protect the football club and get the best deal, and I certainly feel we did that."