What Sunderland boss Alex Neil said about transfers, team news, Corry Evans, Danny Batth and Stoke City

That brings us to the end of the broadcast section of the press conference but Neil has also spoken to the written press, including our SAFC writer Phil Smith.

We’ll have more from the Black Cats boss, as well as build-up to Saturday’s match over on the SAFC section of the Echo website.

“You only need to look at their recruitment, people talk about how much money teams have spent, but they naturally are one of the biggest spenders in the league, certainly in terms of wages.

“To go and get Dwight Gayle, the boy Laurent they signed from Reading was a good free transfer for them as well.

“They have a big squad, they have a strong squad and have just signed the boy Liam Delap so that’s another option that they’ve got.

“They have certainly got a lot of options.”

“The problem you’ve got is you can’t control the window and it’s a sort of beast in itself in the fact that when player trading starts to happen there’s a domino effect for most teams, whether that’s coming in or going out.

“We know what we have to do and there have been ongoing discussions on a regular basis and a daily basis for weeks and weeks.

“Unfortunately what has happened is we have picked up a couple of injuries, knocks and niggles in key positions which then makes it look worse than what it is.

“We know what we’re doing and hopefully we will get a few across the line shortly.”

“We will be recruiting and I’m very confident we will have players in sooner rather than later.

“We know the job we have to do in terms of what we have to do in terms of getting the bodies in to beef up the squad, so that’s not lost on anybody.

“What I will say is I’m hopeful we will get a couple in before the hectic spell. I think things are certainly moving in the right direction.”

“It hasn’t changed has it. This isn’t something that we have reacted to off the back of a couple of injuries.

“We have talked about recruitment since the start of the window and what happens is people talk about the window and say ‘they’ve spent a lot of money.’ They have no idea how much money we’ve spent.

“The fact is we do need to recruit, we have invested and brought some players in but to which scope we have went to or haven’t went to nobody actually knows the truth of that.”

“Corry Evans wasn’t available for the game and is naturally going to be a doubt for this one.

“Danny Batth should be ok.

“Ballard unfortunately and Winny won’t be available.”

“The ball just ran away from him and he tried to take the first one in.

“He should have just popped it off to Patto and we were out on the other side, but he felt the need to take a touch and unfortunately it just skipped off his foot and the lad read it.

“Listen it happens and if you are going to play in the manner in which we play and try to get the ball down and play and risk it, that’s going to happen.

“We certainly won’t be too judgemental on that front, he’s a young lad and has done remarkably well this season for us.

“Considering when I came in last year there was a lot of talk about Dan because he’s a local lad and had done well, and everyone loves to see that

“At that point he didn’t look ready for me to play and I think now we are seeing the best side of him because of that rest. “

“He’s shown a great reaction this season.”

To compound matters, Sunderland could be without several first-team players for this weekend’s trip to Stoke.

Ballard will be sidelined for the foreseeable future after fracturing his foot, while Carl Winchester has been ruled out with a back issue.

Captain Corry Evans also missed the defeat at Sheffield United, while Danny Batth was substituted after feeling discomfort in his groin.

Leon Dajaku has been absent with a thigh issue in recent weeks, while Dan Neil will be suspended for the trip to Stoke.

We may get a further injury update from Neil this morning.

So there are less than two weeks to go until the end of the transfer window and Neil still wants four or five more additions before it shuts.

The Sunderland boss has admitted the club are facing a battle to land targets who will likely be offered more money by clubs elsewhere in the Championship.

Still, he feels the size of the club and side’s promising start to the season may give them an advantage.

We know that signing another striker is near the top of Sunderland’s priorities, while they are also in the market for another central midfielder and left-sided defender.

Daniel Ballard’s injury setback could also force them to look at centre-back replacements.