Sunderland handed major transfer blow by former Newcastle United star

Sunderland and Swansea City have been linked with Dack in recent weeks with Black Cats head coach Tony Mowbray apparently keen on a deal for the 28-year-old Englishman after the pair worked together at Ewood Park.

Dack started his youth career at Charlton Athletic before moving on to Corinthian and then Gillingham, where he made 185 appearances across all competitions, netting 38 goals.

In 2017, Dack joined Blackburn Rovers on a three-year-deal for a fee of £750,000 plus add-ons and was brought to the club by Mowbray. The duo then won promotion to the Championship in their first season together with Dack scoring 18 times.

However, following serious injury, Dack has found himself on the fringes of ex-Newcastle player Tomasson’s squad.

“Yeah, of course,” the Blackburn boss replied when asked if Dack was a part of his plans. “A lot of people are forgetting and I’ve said many times, they’re putting way too much pressure on the boy – he’s been away for two years.

“We would love to get him back in shape and on his right level because he’s brilliant for the club in that way. I’ve been injured a bit myself. Sometimes you can get back on the same level but sometimes you can’t.

“I can tell you a story, I had my last game at the World Cup. I tried to get back, a year, but it didn’t happen. We’re working on that and of course, for his last big injury, now he’s started games. He was not starting before that, we also need to take that into consideration. But we would love to have him on his high level.”

Mowbray was spotted talking to Dack and other Blackburn Rovers players after Sunderland’s 2-0 loss at Ewood Park earlier this season, with Mowbray letting slip what he told his former player post-match.

"I am not here so I don't know where he is fitness-wise but I had a long chat with him in the corridor," Mowbray told Lancs Live. "He looks really lean to me. He looks slim and ready. He tells me his physical data is the best it has ever been, better than before he got his injuries.

"I don't know what is going on, what I do know is he was probably the best player in the Championship two years ago. You don't lose the talent but the manager at this football club has those decisions to make and they are doing very well.

"I would never sit here and criticise any manager for their decisions, I have difficult decisions to make. But Bradley Dack, what a footballer, what a player but I haven't seen him since he recovered from his cruciate injuries other than playing him every 15 minutes to get his fitness up."

Sunderland are next in action against Birmingham City at St Andrew’s Stadium in the Championship on Friday evening.