Sunderland boss gives Danny Batth injury and transfer update amid Blackburn Rovers interest

Tony Mowbray has admitted that Danny Batth could leave the club this summer but insists no decisions have been made.

Batth was player of the season last time out but has interest from Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland have signed two central defenders in Jenson Seelt and Nectarios Triantis.

The experienced defender was absent from both pre-season friendlies on Saturday but Mowbray said that was purely down to a knock.

The 32-year-old will travel to the US next week and a decision on his future is not expected until later in the window.

"It's just a knock, he's coming with us to the US," Mowbray said.

"We have to wait and see -it seems strange doesn't it to be talking about your player of the year last year. But we have signed two young centre halves, you hope that Dan Ballard stays fit and that Dennis Cirkin and Aji Alese aren't too far away.

"You reach a certain age in football and you want to play, I get on really with Danny and I've been there myself as a player. Let's see what the next six weeks brings on that front. He was amazing last year, I have to say that. If he stays great, if he goes it's because he wants to play. He'll get a feel of it [and we'll go from there."

Sunderland won both of their friendlies on Saturday, a 4-3 win over South Shields followed by a win over 3-2 win over Gateshead.

Hemir, Jack Clarke (x2) and Chris Rigg were on the scoresheet at Mariners Park, before Dan Neil, Niall Huggins and Michael Spellman helped overturn a two-goal deficit at Gateshead.

"The first game, we needed a bit of a reminder that we needed to put pressure on and play on the front foot.

"The second game we shot ourselves in the foot with the two goals but worked our way back into it. We integrated the young lads in both games and we've scored seven goals.

"It was nice to come from behind twice and get a couple of victories, it'll do us good."