Sunderland boss Jack Ross hoping for speedy resolution as he eyes triple transfer swoop

Jack Ross believes the next 48-hours could potentially be crucial in Sunderland's attempts to land their top transfer targets.
Sunderland manager Jack RossSunderland manager Jack Ross
Sunderland manager Jack Ross

Sunderland have bids in for Bradford City striker Charlie Wyke, Cheltenham Town forward Mo Eisa and Reading midfielder George Evans.

Ross confirmed those three players are among his most-wanted list and would ideally like to know one way or the other in the coming days whether they will be heading to Wearside.

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The transfer window closes on August 9 and Ross is conscious that Sunderland may have to move onto other targets with the clock ticking.

When asked if it was a big 24-48 hours, Ross said: "Yes, I think potentially. I would prefer it if we knew one way or the other in that period.

"We are 18 or 19 days before the start of the season.

"It was always going to be a chase this summer, chasing our tail a little bit.

"There is a recognition that if the top targets can't come, then it is important we know that quite quickly to move on and get as much in place prior to at least a week to 10 days before the

Charlton game.

"We are going to have to squeeze a lot in in that time."

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Sunderland's transfer business has been boosted with the departure of Wahbi Khazri to St Etienne, his move finally announced prior to last night's 1-0 win over Grimsby Town.

The winger has moved for an initial £6million, with the fee potentially rising to £9million with add ons.

When asked if that would free up Sunderland to bring in some players, Ross added: "Hopefully. The concentration for me has been on making these players better.

"We have seen that again tonight, there has been a lot of work going on to identity the players that I think will help us.

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"That work has been done, it is a case of can we get them here?

"Hopefully that will happen. until it happens, we keep making the best of what we have here at the moment."

Ross has openly confirmed his interest in those three players. Wyke, subject of a £600,000 Sunderland bid, started for Bradford City against Sheffield United last night but came off with a

knee injury after eight minutes.

Ross said: "I said on Saturday, he is a player that I like. Equally he is a player under contract so it is not that straight forward.

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"It is a case of identifying the players we prefer and then working down the list, if we can't get those players in.

"We have been exhaustive in our approach. There has been a lot of work around getting players out to free us up to get players in, that has taken a lot more time than we thought it would."

Evans, meanwhile, was on the bench for the Royals' game against Besiktas last night, but didn't make it onto the pitch.

Sunderland have had an offer accepted for Evans, and hope to complete a deal this week. The player is currently in Austria on a pre-season tour with the Championship club and Ross

believes he would add stature to the Sunderland side.

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Ross added: "He falls into the same bracket. Players that I have been an admirer of and a player that I think would make us better.

"There are certain things we need positionaly but we need stature in certain areas, throughout the team.

"You need an element of that. We need to make sure we have that balance within our group."