Tony Mowbray shares first impressions on Sunderland's summer signings - and key attribute they'll add

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray say he is encouraged by the early signs from the club's new summer signings as they prepare to make their first appearances this weekend.

Hemir and Jobe Bellingham are both in line to make their debuts as Sunderland step up their pre season work with friendlies against South Shields and Gateshead.

Mowbray has not yet been able to work with fellow arrivals Jenson Seelt and Nectarios Triantis, with the former recovering from a minor ankle knock and the latter enjoying a summer break following international duty.

All four will add significant height and physicality to Sunderland's ranks, which is a prospect their head coach is relishing.

"It's been a little eye-opener for Hemir I think, coming from Portugese football," Mowbray told safc.com.

"He's a big 6ft 4 boy and I'm not sure he's been used to the level of physical stuff we've been doing but he's a nice kid and he's adapting well. He understands that he needs to get his workload up.

"Technically he is very good, in training he's making really good decisions with the ball at his feet. He can finish, too.

"I'm looking forward to getting these games started and seeing how he does.

"We've had young Jobe in the building as well and he has done extremely well, he looks extremely athletic. He's another lad we've got who is gft 3, 6ft 4. It's good to have new faces around the place."

While encouraged by Hemir's progress, Mowbray is hopeful that more options will be signed up front.

"We could probably do with some help up the top end of the pitch," Mowbray said

"If you think that Ross isn’t quite ready yet, then we’ve only really got young Hemir Luis Semedo, but he is still a boy, and it’s a lot of burden for him to be the only senior striker that we’ve got.

“We could probably do with some help at the top end of the pitch over the next few weeks, and I’m sure we’re working very hard behind the scenes on that.”