As head coach, Mowbray says he isn’t involved in regular meetings about who the Black Cats are monitoring and will only be involved in those discussions further down the line.
Mowbray does have a good relationship with Sunderland’s Head of Player Recruitment Stuart Harvey, who he worked with at former club Blackburn Rovers.
Harvey joined the Black Cats in April 2021 and has overseen three transfer windows with the club.
While not all of the players Sunderland have signed will have been identified by Harvey, he has still led the club’s recruitment process as they look to sign younger assets.
We take a closer look at the players who have arrived since Harvey was appointed, and how they have fared:
1. Callum Doyle - From Manchester City (Loan)
While Doyle didn’t feature as much during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, he was a key player at the start of the season. Putting so much faith in a young centre-half was a risky strategy, yet a season-long loan move from Manchester City proved a good piece of business. Photo: Frank Reid
2. Corry Evans - From Blackburn
Harvey will have been aware of Evans’ situation at Blackburn, where the midfielder spent eight years. Sunderland were able to sign the Northern Irishman on a free transfer and, after a difficult start, the 32-year-old has become a key player for the Black Cats. Photo: Stu Forster
3. Alex Pritchard - From Huddersfield
Another player Sunderland were able to sign on a free transfer after Pritchard was released by Huddersfield. Like Evans, the 29-year-old played a big part in Sunderland’s promotion from League One and has remained a regular starter in the Championship. Pritchard has also praised former boss Lee Johnson for persuading him to join Sunderland in League One. Photo: Frank Reid
4. Dennis Cirkin - From Tottenham
An excellent find. While too much reliance was placed on Cirkin last season, in his first full campaign as a senior player, the left-back has made big improvements since his arrival from Tottenham. Still only 20, the defender looks like he can be a long-term asset, while there have even been reports that Spurs may look to re-sign him. Photo: Frank Reid