Sunderland boss makes a Joe Gelhardt admission that fans will love ahead of his debut

Gelhardt's arrival took on added importance when Ross Stewart was stretchered off with what is feared to be a ruptured achilles tendon early in the 1-1 FA Cup draw with Fulham on Saturday.Sunderland are working hard to try and add at least one more striker to their ranks before the transfer window closes on Tuesday night, with the return of Ellis Simms still considered an ideal solution if Everton were to sanction his short-term departure.

But Gelhardt looks set for a key role when Sunderland travel to Millwall this weekend, having benefited from a full week of training with his new team-mates.

Sunderland had to fight off considerable Championship competition to sign the 20-year-old right up until he put pen to paper, and while the Black Cats are covering a considerable chunk of his Elland Road wages, Mowbray says the move is one where player and club have put his career development first.

Mowbray is hoping that the striker will thrive in a young side that is creating lots of chances.

"We’re delighted he's here," Mowbray said.

"We’re fully aware of the financially better off football clubs that wanted to take Joe Gelhardt and yet I hope he wanted to do the football project, he could see the talent at the front end of the field who can get the ball to him and that he feels he can come and help us score goals. It’s a young team, it’s not as though there’s a load of old guys around him telling him what to do. He’s going to come and express his talent and hopefully score goals and help this team moving forward."

As well as Sunderland's attacking style, the hope is that the Premier League environment and pressure that Gelhardt will be operating in will stand him in good stead for when he returns to Elland Road in the summer.

"I think that’s part of the reason he’s come," Mowbray said.

"It’s a Premier League feel when you play at the Stadium of Light in front of 40,000 fans, they expect and even though it’s a very young team who finished fifth in League One last year, they are all playing with a brave style and enjoying their football. I think he looked at the football project rather than a team that could play Leeds lots of money. I think Leeds looked at the football project as well, and they think putting him in with the other young players at Sunderland and let him go.

"And with the injury to Ross, it looks to me like we have Millwall away next week, get yourself there and we will unleash him on the league and see how he gets on."

Gelhardt told safc.com after his arrival that he was hoping to fire Sunderland into the top six and then into the Premier League before he returns to Elland Road.