MICHAEL BEALE has confirmed Sunderland plan to sign another striker this month and although the head coach is well aware of the speculation linking the Black Cats with countless frontmen, he says they won't budge from their beliefs and will only bring in a player who is "the right fit".

While Sunderland are looking to add to their forward line in the January window, Beale has confirmed Mason Burstow won't be going back to Chelsea and will stay on Wearside for the rest of the season.

Burstow has only started one Championship game since October, leading to suggestions the 20-year-old could return to his parent club this month, but Beale says that won't be the case.

"Mason is going to stay here I believe," said Beale.

"We've had those conversations and as it stands right now, he'll be here until the end of the season. He is training well and he did start seven games under the previous coach and the team got good results, albeit without Mason scoring."

Even with Burstow staying put, Sunderland are prioritising the addition of a No.9 this month as the club looks to solve their striker issues. Nazariy Rusyn's goal against Preston on New Year's Day was the first and only time one of the club's four strikers has managed to hit the net this season.

Beale said: "We are looking. We're being linked with every No.9 that's breathing at the moment but we're looking for the right No.9 to come and fit in. It has to fit in our budget, the player has to come and be really motivated to help us as well.

"There are one two other positions we're looking at as well.

"It's generally a difficult month. It seems a few teams around us are certainly loading up. Some teams have already done work. That's not to say we're not busy in the background. We are. But at this moment in time there's nothing to report."

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Despite Sunderland's intention to bolster the forward line this month, Beale insists he has faith in the strikers currently on the club's books.

He said: "All four of the strikers who've come in, what you have to say is they might not have contributed goals but they must have contributed because the team is sitting sixth in the league. After 26 games, I think everyone would have taken that at the start of the season.

"Mason came on at Rotherham in a difficult game and on a difficult pitch, and then I put Rusyn in and he scored a really good goal, and his work ethic was really infectious.

"I've tried to reenergise that area, Mayenda and Hemir are showing good signs in training, Hemir is a fantastic finisher.

"Those two were probably bought with an eye to the future. So we'll see, we'd like to see some work in the final third because we've also lost Bradley (Dack) and Paddy (Roberts) for a while. It's a big opportunity for people like Adil and Abdoullah, who I'm looking to step up as well."