"I think we need another attacking player in the building, and I know we're working hard to do that.”

Not a quote from Sunderland’s new boss Regis Le Bris with the new season just days away, but from one of his predecessors Tony Mowbray this time last year.

"I don’t want to do my business on the last day in August - I want to get my business done as quickly as possible.”

That’s not Le Bris either. Or Mowbray, for that matter. It was Alex Neil two years ago in the run-up to the Black Cats’ return to the Championship.

“It is no secret we would like to have more and I’m sure they will come in the coming days and weeks.”

And that was Lee Johnson talking about transfers in general - but in response to a question about strikers - on the eve of the League One kick-off in August 2021.

So I suppose it should come as no great surprise that, a little over a week away from the start of another new season, Sunderland are still chasing a striker.

Plus ça change, as they say in Le Bris’ homeland.

It is not that Sunderland have been sitting on their hands - far from it. They have been exploring options, holding talks, and trying to land various attacking targets.

They just have not managed to get anything over the line as yet.

Other deals have come to fruition and welcome reinforcements have arrived. Goalkeeper, yes. Midfielder, yes. Winger, yes. But no striker.

And as things stand, with the current options he has available, fans will be worried - and understandably so.

It was the Black Cats’ lack of firepower (a reminder: four strikers, three league goals) that hamstrung the club last season.

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Since then, Mason Burstow has returned to Chelsea following his ill-fated loan spell.

Apparently, Le Bris has also decided that Portuguese teenager Luis Hemir will not cut it and is ready to let him leave.

That would mean going into the season with Eliezer Mayenda and Nazariy Rusyn as the club’s only senior attacking options, albeit with youngster Tommy Watson waiting in the wings while the likes of attacking midfielder Jobe Bellingham and widemen Jack Clarke, Romaine Mundle and new arrival Ian Poveda will also be expected to deliver their fair share of goals.

The other side of the coin is that there is, of course, still time to bring in at least one new striker before Sunderland head to Cardiff City next weekend.

Even if they do not make a signing before heading to South Wales, no-one expects Sunderland’s squad to look the same at the beginning of August as it will at the beginning of September when the transfer window has closed.

Signing a striker was regarded as a priority, however, and it has not yet happened.

After the way things petered out in the second half of last season, Sunderland have asked fans to take a leap of faith this summer.

Supporters have answered the call and the pre-season mood is positive, with the club’s new Hummel strip given a huge thumbs-up and selling out as quickly as stocks can be delivered, while season ticket uptake is strong - around 33,500 sold at the time of writing, equating to almost 90 percent of those available.

When the action starts it will be time for Le Bris and his players to do their part.

Le Bris is a newcomer to English football, and a relative unknown as far as Sunderland fans are concerned, so needs to get off to a good start to avoid coming under immediate pressure.

Sunderland’s hierarchy could help their man out enormously by signing a proven goalscorer before the season gets under way.