TONY Mowbray is confident Ross Stewart will still be at Sunderland at the end of the January transfer window - and hopes to soon have a new striker through the door to provide support for his top scorer.

Sunderland were dealt a blow last week when Everton recalled Ellis Simms, prompting the Black Cats to quickly move to source a replacement.

What Mowbray wants is a player in the same mould as Simms, a youngster who can support Stewart and give the Black Cats chief another option up-front in the second half of the season.

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Speculation surrounding Stewart's future has ramped up since the start of the January transfer window but Mowbray has always remained calm and after losing Simms doesn't expect a further striker departure before the month is out.

"I'm confident (Stewart will stay this month)," said Mowbray.

"I'm not sure the phone is ringing off the hook. It's great that he's scoring all the time. He's fit, starting matches."

Mowbray is hopeful of adding a new striker to his ranks in the coming days but is aware that's easier said than done in the January window.

He said: "We'd like it to be as soon as possible. We need reinforcements, that's the best way to put it.

"It's pretty unlikely that we're going to go and splash millions and millions on a big name. I think we need a young guy like Ellis who can come in and compete and know he's learning off Ross, watching him, being around him, helping and supporting

"Some days we play two up front, others he comes off the bench. I think that's what we're looking for, someone who can come and support our centre-forward who, at this moment, every time he goes on the pitch scores a goal.

"I think we need options really. Let's not try and get into a situation where your main centre forward gets injured and you don't have options. The job of the club is to gett other options to compete with the centre forward.

"How quickly will that happen? I hope the next few days but deals aren't always done as quickly as you want them to be done.

"I know the club are working really hard behind the scenes trying to make things happen. What's important is you have options, not being stuck on one player, otherwise you're in the hands of agents or other club

"The recruitment team are working really hard and we're having discussions with various clubs about various players and we'll see which ones drop in."

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With Sunderland's search for a new striker ongoing, Stewart is desperate to start at Shrewsbury in the FA Cup third round tie, with Mowbray to make a final decision on his team on Friday.

He said: "I've had a conversation with him and he wants to play on Saturday because he wants to keep building up his resilience.

"That's a decision the management team will make, whether we risk Ross Stewart picking up an injury when we have important league games coming up or whether we play him and build his resilience and confidence. We'll do that in the next day or so."