Jack: Next 48 hours vital in bid to land trio

Jack Ross believes the next 48 hours could be crucial in Sunderland’s attempts to land their top transfer targets.

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

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 last night, 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 (August 4). We are going to have to squeeze a lot in in that time.” Sunderland have been boosted with the departure of Wahbi Khazri to St Etienne for an initial £6million. When asked if that would free up Sunderland to bring in some players, Ross added: “Hopefully. There has been a lot of work going on to identity the players that I think will help us. 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 confirmed his interest in Wyke, Eisa and Evans.

Wyke, subject of a £600,000 SAFC bid, started for Bradford 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. 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.”

On Evans, 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.”