Michael Beale issues significant Sunderland January transfer update - with big Chelsea youngster hint

Sunderland head coach Michael Beale has confirmed that the club are 'busy' in their search for additional firepower, but has confirmed that Chelsea youngster Mason Burstow is set to see out his season-long loan.

Beale has also confirmed that the club are looking to recruit in 'one or two' other positions before the close of the transfer window. The head coach said the club were working hard to make additions but were at this stage not close to bolstering their ranks.

"We are looking," Beale said.

"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, of course 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, because we are. But at this moment in time there's nothing to report."

Beale says he is keen to give opportunities to the strikers he already has in the building and believes that despite his lack of recent game time, Burstow can still have an impact between now and the end of the campaign. Having played for Chelsea in the early weeks of the season, Burstow cannot go out on loan to another club and it appears that all parties have decided the best route is for him to stay and fight for his place.

Nazariy Rusyn looks set to retain his place in the starting XI at Ipswich this weekend as Beale looks to give him an extended run to try and build on his goal against Preston North End.

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

"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. 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 and Paddy for a while. It's a big opportunity for people like Adil and Abdoullah, who I'm looking to step up as well."