---
title: "Sunderland: Black Cats missed out on defensive midfielder and a defender"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/transfer-news-defender-defensive-midfielder-championship/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Adam Clancy"
section: "Championship News"
published: "2022-09-10T11:40:10Z"
modified: "2022-09-10T11:40:10Z"
---

# Sunderland: Black Cats missed out on defensive midfielder and a defender

**Tony Mowbray has revealed that [Sunderland](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/sunderland-afc-news/) missed out on signing a defensive midfielder and defender on Transfer Deadline Day.**

### The Lowdown: Sunderland’s transfer business

The Stadium of Light outfit managed to bring in [10](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/afc-sunderland/transfers/verein/289) new signings in the summer transfer window, and also swapped now Stoke City manager Alex Neil with Mowbray.

They also let go of [seven](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/afc-sunderland/transfers/verein/289) players before the deadline, so there has been a lot of change ahead of their first season back in the [Championship](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/championship-news/).

### The Latest: Deadline Day failures

Speaking to [The Chronicle](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/tony-mowbray-admits-sunderland-were-24981977), Mowbray has revealed that the Wearside club wanted to sign a defensive midfielder and defender on Deadline Day, but failed to do so in the end:

*“One was a pretty flexible, defensive midfield player, who could cover Corry Evans’ position for us and also play out in the full-back area, and one might have been a defensive player.”*

\[freshpress-quiz id=”398290″\]

### The Verdict: Lack of squad depth?

The Sunderland Echo journalist James Copley has recently admitted his [concern](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/sunderland-afc-news/sunderland-championship-james-copley-news-updates-mowbray/) over the Black Cats’ lack of squad depth, and that could have been helped by getting two more players in through the door on Deadline Day.

They were [reportedly](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/sunderland-afc-news/sunderland-transfer-news-rose-mannone-championship/) interested in bringing free agent Danny Rose back to the club, and other positions could have done with more strengthening.

\[freshpress-poll id=”387921″\]

Currently, Sunderland only have two senior goalkeepers in the squad, one left-back, two defensive midfielders and two strikers ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/afc-sunderland/kader/verein/289)), so perhaps they will dip into the free agent market, or wait until the January transfer window to strengthen further.