Sunderland AFC transfer news: Everything Tony Mowbray said on incomings and outgoings yesterday

Sunderland's search for striking additions continues while there has also been speculation about potentially significant outgoings.

Head coach Tony Mowbray offered a lengthy update in his pre-match press conference during his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Here, in chronological order, is everything he said about transfers...

What's the latest on the search for a new striker?

"I think discussions would be the best way [to put it].

"We're not hiding anyone down the corridor ready to bring him out and take the picture, but we've had plenty of conversations.

"You have all been doing this a long time so you know, it's never easy to do these deals. The closer you get to them... it's then 'a bit more here, 'a bit more there', so they're always throwing a bit more in.

"So I'm pretty hopeful and confident. Whether I'm confident for Saturday is another question, but I'm confident that we will add before this window shuts."

Is the market particularly difficult this summer?

"If we have £115 million footballers at the very top level, is that skewing everything below that? How much is somebody worth these days? Maybe.

"We're not out there spending fives [million], never mind tens or twentys or thirtys.

"I think at the level we're at, and I think possibly the deals we are going to do might be loan deals, the conundrum there is that if you get down to the last day or two, there are probably some amazing loan deals to be done out of the Premier League. Once they've got those signings done, those peripheral players who will be amazing in the Championship become available and yet if you've spent your money because you're trying to get your business done early, you can't bring those players in.

"They have great seasons and you think, how have they got him?! Well, it's because they got him on the last day of the window when they needed him to go out on loan and there weren't loads of clubs [interested] because they'd already used up their budget.

"It's a dangerous scenario."

Aside from strikers, is there any business on the cards?

"We'd like to try and help the central midfield area, it feels light to me. We'll see [on that].

"Personally I'd like to try and put a more experienced player in there alongside the likes of Dan and Pierre and Jobe, somebody who has played Premier League football for instance and been in a different environment. Of course, that isn't easy to do.

"And I think we're always looking for the right player that fits the club's model as well, you should never be surprised if we sign a young player to put in the squad. That could happen at any time, but I'm focusing obviously on attack-minded players who can play down the middle for this team, who want to put goals next to their name."

Are you prepared to risk waiting until the end of the window to get that striker deal?

"These are the discussions we've been having.

"My view has been, let's do it. We've got a name, let's get them in. Of course of the counter-argument is, what if it's not the right one?

"Of course we're not signing Harry Kane, but I've said let's get a guy who makes his living scoring goals up front - working hard, closing down. Let's take the head coach's excuses away from him and let's do it now, that's what I've been saying. I don't want the fans to blame the club, I know the scenario I'm dealing with and the model. I have to find a way to win matches. I'm very conscious that when I sit here and say we need a striker... I'm genuinely not throwing punches. People can see we need someone who scores goals and if they're any good, they'll score loads of goals in this team.

"We play with two wingers who put balls in the box, so if you've got anything about you you'll score goals in this team. So let's get one in, let's not wait until the last day and then God forbid it breaks down...

"Let's get one in the building, and then if we get another great, and I'll deal with the problem [of managing them]. That's how I feel.

Is that the club's view, as well?

"I think we agree on that, but I understand the bigger picture, which is the club picture of wanting to sign our own players, rather than loaning them in, polishing them up for somebody else to make a profit on. Get your own player in, polish them up and then have the money to reinvest and see where you can get to.

"That's where I'm at with it at the moment, and as I sit here right now I'm hopeful we'll have one coming in tomorrow [Friday]."

What's the latest with Alex Pritchard after impressing off the bench in the first two league games?

"I like Pritch. Pritch is a good player. I don't want to get too prescriptive about it, but it looks like Pritch is going to leave the football club.

"We have to move past that, we have to move on - that's football. Every footballer understands it is a transient game. I got a testimonial at Middlesbrough, I was there 12 years, but that's very, very, rare in modern-day football. Footballers come, and then they move on, and supporters understand that.

"Alex's situation is a little bit more complicated than I can discuss openly. He's a good football player, but there is a fair percentage [chance] that he will leave the football club in the next few weeks. If he doesn't, then we can have more discussions after the window shuts."