Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray delivers Bailey Wright update amid interest from Hibs and Aberdeen

Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has admitted defender Bailey Wright could leave the club before the end of the transfer window, but insisted the Australian internationalist would be going nowhere before Sunday’s match against Middlesbrough.

The 30-year-old could potentially start for the Black Cats due to a combination of suspension and injuries reducing Mowbray’s defensive options at the Stadium of Light.

"At this moment Bailey Wright is very much part of our plans and there's potentially a chance for him to start on Sunday depending on the result of a scan that's happening today,” the former Hibs manager said.

"It's not in my mind to think about him staying or going, and publicly I wouldn't want to talk too much about any player's situation. What I would say is that if everyone is fit and available, we potentially have an overload of five or six defenders. If I want to play three at the back then one or two makes the bench, if I play with a four then I can't have three sat on the bench.”

Bailey Wright could potentially start for Sunderland on Sunday

Wright has only started six league games for Sunderland this season in the Sky Bet Championship, fuelling the rumours that he could look to depart the club this month in search of regular gametime.

Mowbray continued: "I always think about the individual in these situations, and the human side of me will always consider whether it's right for a player to explore avenues where they might play regularly. I'd always be sympathetic to that, but we have to put the football club first and the football club might need them and therefore they're not going anywhere."