Sunderland boss gives response to 'difficult' question on senior trio - and why their future is uncertain

Tony Mowbray says the situation is 'complicated' as Danny Batth, Alex Pritchard and Lynden Gooch weigh up possible departures from the club in the final weeks of the transfer window.

All three have entered the last year of their contract and Batth in particular has had strong interest from Blackburn Rovers over the summer. It appears the club would be prepared to sanction their exits if deals could be agreed, a source of understandable concern for supporters given their influence both on and off the pitch during Sunderland's recent rise.

The head coach was asked in his pre-match press conference last week whether he would like the trio to stay and be part of his plans, and in response said the matter was more complicated than that.

"Listen, the question is a difficult one for me to answer," Mowbray said.

"I've been in football a long time and I understand how squads need a balance of experienced players - and I do think it's different for all of them, really.

"Some of it might be about how much of your budget you're going to commit to someone who might not be playing [regularly]. And some of it, players have outlays - cars, mortgages etc and when you get to the last year of your contract you start wanting to negotiate a new one. If you then hit an impasse... it seems [like] that to me.

"As you've suggested to me there, I'm only really interested in what happens on the grass," he added.

"So when we're playing Luton away, I would prefer Danny Batth right in the middle there, heading the ball out of the box. But if you get to an impasse where there isn't a new contract offer that's suitable [for all parties], and we're seeing what else out there... but as I've said if there's no sale when the window shuts then they're here and part of it, and I'm sure you can ask me a different question then about their availability. At this moment, I'm just respectful of the players. I like them all and they did exceptionally well for the club last year in different roles.

"Every club needs a squad and senior players with intelligence and good human values are critical around a football club and around a dressing room. I'm more interested in whether they are here in three weeks or not and then I will deal with the scenario one way or the other.

"If they are here, I'll have some talking to do to make sure they're pacified and ready to go. If they go, it will be because they wanted to and the deal was right for them - that's football. I don't want to get wrapped up in a situation where I'm talking against the club.

"I could easily sit here and say 'yeah we should be keeping those three players' but it's not as simple as that. There are a lot of different [factors]. It's not quite as simple as do I want to keep them, there are a lot of intricacies around contractual situations."

Gooch is currently absent with a hamstring issue but should be fit for this weekend's visit of Rotherham United.