Ross plays game of patience in bid for more recruits
JACK Ross says Sunderland still need more reinforcements and has a list of targets – but insists he has not been banging on owner Stewart Donald’s door to get deals done.
Sunderland are aiming to tie up a loan move for Wigan Athletic midfielder Max Power in time for him to play at Luton Town tomorrow - and he would become Ross’ 12th summer signing.
However, the Black Cats are still short of numbers, particularly strikers, and will look to use the loan market – which remains open until the end of the month – to add more firepower.
Manchester United’s James Wilson is the latest to be linked with a short-term move.
Ross knows Sunderland also need to offload their big earners – including the stayaway duo of Papy Djilobodji and Didier Ndong and in all probability Lee Cattermole and Bryan Oviedo too – both to keep their wage bill under control and also to free up funds to bring in new faces.
However, he is content to leave the financial side to Donald.
Asked whether there would have to be departures before any loan signings could arrive, Ross said: “Stewart is probably the best person to answer that.
“I did say on my first day I never asked about my budget.
“It has been true right the way through.
“I have identified players, some of whom we have managed to get in, and then once I have a group I think I can go with we take it from there.
“Stewart and I get on really well and if he was to pop his head in at 9.00 one day and say I can bring in two signings I would have a list.
“However, I have not really been banging his door down trying to get players in.
“I am fairly comfortable with where I am at and I am fairly comfortable the relationship we have, that anytime he can help in respect of the playing squad he will do that.” Ross added: “It is pretty obvious if they (Ndong and Djilobodji) were not here, it would help.”
Ross’ squad is severely depleted due to injuries, with Dylan McGeouch, Jerome Sinclair, Donald Love, Ethan Robson, Charlie Wyke, Reece James, Tom Flanagan, Aiden McGeady, and Duncan Watmor, all ruled out of tomorrow’s trip to Luton Town - but while that creates shortterm difficulties Ross is wary of bringing in too many players and finding he cannot keep everyone happy once the injuries clear up.
He admitted: “It is a balancing act. If you bring players in now, when the injured lads are fit we might find ourselves top-heavy in certain areas.
“On the one side, given the number of games and the cup competitions, it could be a 60-game season so we need to use the squad.
“I am conscious of that but I have to control it on the training pitch and I don’t want us to be top-heavy.
“You don’t want to bring in players just for the sake of it but there are one or two areas where we could do with more options and hopefully we will get them, if not permanently then certainly on a loan basis.”