Sunderland manager Jack Ross reveals the signing he wants before deadline day

The duo are close to the Sunderland exit door and their departures will help free up the Black Cats to add further new faces before the loan deadline this Friday, August 31.

Ross has confirmed he would ideally like to bring in a player who can play up front but also have the flexibility of playing out wide in his fluid attacking system.

Sunderland came from behind to beat AFC Wimbledon 2-1 at Kingsmeadow, Lee Cattermole with a superb second half brace to help seal the comeback.

Focus now turns to the loan market.

When asked whether his priority was a striker of a winger this week, Ross said: "Ideally, I would like one that could do both, If I'm honest.

"The couple that we'd looked at before could play off the side or as a striker. We have that fluidity within our approach.

"Today that fluidity helped us. Chris' ability and George's ability to play different roles helps us in terms of fluidity and flexibility within a game

"Ideally one that could play both but I don't know at the moment These two going out are holding things up a little bit."

Ndong is wanted by Benfica, with other clubs in Portugal tracking him ahead of the deadline. Djilbodji has interest from clubs in Germany.

Sunderland AFC managing director Tony Davison is working hard on their departures.

On those two, Ross added: "I said during the week I thought they were close [to leaving] and I still think that is the case.

"I have been in regularly contact with Tony and it is a lot of frustrating work for him but I think they will happen sooner rather than later, just a case of when.

"It has been frustrating in that sense, not just in terms of us being able to progress forward, frustrating for Tony - he has been a brilliant help to me since I took the job.

"We want to make sure on the recruitment side we do things - I don't want to say differently - but that we put something in place that will stand us in good stead for the future.

"We have not been able to do that properly yet. Tony has spent a lot of time on these players. Hopefully we will get there soon and it will free him up."

Cattermole was the hero at Wimbledon and Ross said as things stand he expects him and Bryan Oviedo, who came on as a sub, to stay.

On the pair, Ross said: "There has been nothing on the horizon for either of them, which has been beneficial to me.

"It was only going to be beneficial if they approached things in the manner that they have done. I have said often enough they have done that on the training pitch.

"Bryan travelled, it was a big decision not to start him. For him to come on and show the attitude and quality he did is testament to where he is at mentally.

"Things can change quickly.

"I see them as part of my group moving forward and hopefully that will be the case."