Sunderland make striker bid as Cats and Southampton are linked with Dutch forward

Sunderland have been credited with interest in Bologna striker Sydney van Hooijdonk - with the Black Cats looking to bolster their attacking options before the end of the transfer window.

Ross Stewart’s Achillies injury means 19-year-old Hemir is Sunderland’s only available striker ahead of Sunday’s season opener against Ipswich at the Stadium of Light.

Teenager Eliezer Mayenda, 18, was signed from French club Sochaux last week but is seen as a long-term asset and has picked up a hamstring injury in training.

Sunderland have made bids for multiple transfer targets over the last week, while Italian newspaper Resto del Carlino has claimed the Black Cats and Southampton have expressed interest in van Hooijdonk.

The 23-year-old frontman has two years left on his contract at Bologna, after scoring 16 goals in 33 league appearances during a loan spell at Dutch club Heerenveen last season.

When asked about transfers at the EFL season launch event on Wednesday, Mowbray said: We’re working really hard on that.

"We had a meeting yesterday and we’ve got bids in for players. We’re pushing hard to make sure we have additions in that part of the pitch.

"Hemir wasn’t really bought as a number one centre forward right away, he was brought as a project to nurture and to grow and to give him some game time. We didn’t bring him in to play 46 games right away. The hope would be he could play some, someone else could play some, maybe playing two together at times.

"I’m pretty sure that we will have some help for Hemir at the top end of the pitch, whether that be before the season starts or certainly before the window closes.

"The key for the football club is that we give support to Hemir and Eliezer, who obviously has picked up an injury.

"I think we need another attacking player in the building, and I know we’re working hard to do that.”

Stewart is expected to be sidelined until the end of September, while there has been interest in the 27-year-old who has a year left on his contract.

This summer’s transfer window will run until Friday, September 1.