TONY Mowbray likes the look of the striker targets identified by Sunderland recruitment chiefs - with the head coach now hoping the club "pulls though" and gets a deal for a new frontman over the line.

The Black Cats have added Hemir to their forward ranks this summer but with Ross Stewart set to miss the start of the season as he continues his recovery from injury, signing another striker is the priority in the coming weeks.

Mowbray largely has a hands-off role when it comes to transfers but still makes his feelings known on players identified by the recruitment team and has been impressed by what he's seen of the strikers Sunderland have lined up as targets.

Now, he's hoping the Black Cats manage to finalise a deal in time for the start of the Championship season, for as much as Hemir has caught the eye since his arrival, he's still only 19, and Mowbray doesn't want a repeat of the second half of last term when he was short of bodies up-front.

"Saying things are in the pipeline is good," said Mowbray on Sunderland's efforts to sign a striker.

"I'm aware of a few situations we're trying to push on.

"I'm not that closely involved in it, I'm just hoping they pull through and if we do sign the players we're looking to recruit I'll be happy because they look like good footballers."

Everton striker Tom Cannon - who impressed on loan at Preston in the second half of last season - is thought to have been one of the strikers on Sunderland's radar, though fresh reports from Merseyside today claim the Black Cats are now looking elsewhere.

Last season Sunderland made the most of the Premier League loan market, signing Ellis Simms from Everton, Joe Gelhardt from Leeds and, of course, Amad Diallo from Manchester United - with the Ivorian enjoying an exceptional breakthrough campaign at the Stadium of Light.

As things stand, Sunderland's priority is permanent additions but, as long as the budget allows, Mowbray - who has strong links with several Premier League clubs - expects the Wearsiders to once again dip into the loan market before the summer is out.

He said: "Our preference would be to sign our own players but once you get that business done, if there's still budget left it's always a market you look at.

"As a club we work to the budget, so while you never know how much a signing is going to cost exactly until it's signed and done, I think it's always a potential and as we saw last year with Amad, they can be a real benefit to the football team. So if the budget allows it's something we should and will be looking at."

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For all Mowbray is hoping to further strengthen his squad in the coming weeks, he's delighted with the work done so far, and praised recruitment chiefs for getting business done early.

Hemir, Jobe Bellingham, Jenson Seelt and Nectar Triantis were all signed before the start of pre-season. Hemir and Belingham featured in Saturday's opening friendlies at South Shields and Gateshead, Seelt is currently nursing a slight knock, while Triantis touched down in the North East at the weekend after being given an extended break following his participation in the Toulon Tournament with Australia's Under-23s.

Triantis landed at Newcastle Airport on Saturday and headed straight for Gateshead to take in Sunderland's friendly win over the National League side.

"It's amazing (to get four signings in so early)," said Mowbray.

"I said to Stuart Harvey (head of player recruitment), I can't remember ever having so many players through the door before we come back for the first day of pre-season, even though one or two of them had got knocks and Triantis had a few weeks off because he played in the Toulon Tournament.

"Jenson has just picked up an ankle injury which has kept him out for a few weeks but he'll be fine shortly and it's good to get them sorted."