SUNDERLAND are hoping FIFA will grant them special dispensation to sign Portuguese goalkeeper Mika, and will spend the next few days scouring a list of available free agents in search of a potential attacking acquisition outside the transfer window.

Having failed to land a number of their targets on deadline day, the Black Cats were dealt a further blow today when it was confirmed striker Fabio Borini will miss the next three months after tearing his abductor ligaments in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Southampton.

Jordan Pickford is also nursing a thigh problem, and has been withdrawn from the England Under-21 squad as a precautionary measure, although the goalkeeper should be fit for Sunderland’s next Premier League outing against Everton on September 12.

The Northern Echo:

Even if Pickford returns to full fitness though, the Black Cats will still find themselves extremely short of goalkeeping options, with Vito Mannone’s injury meaning the untried Max Stryjek will have to retain his place on the substitutes’ bench.

Sunderland tried to sign a number of goalkeepers on Wednesday, turning their attentions to Mika after proposed deals for Asmir Begovic, John Ruddy and Cedric Carrasson fell through.

They agreed a deal with Portuguese side Boavista that would have seen the 25-year-old make a permanent move to the Stadium of Light, with personal terms having been agreed with Mika and his representatives.

However, a hold up with the paperwork on the Portuguese side of the deal meant Sunderland were unable to ratify the move before the transfer window closed at 11pm.

Black Cats officials are frustrated their efforts proved in vain, and have lodged an appeal with FIFA requesting permission to finalise the transfer outside of the governing body’s formal transfer window.

If their appeal fails, they could look to make a special emergency-loan request to the Premier League as they will only have one fit goalkeeper with senior experience ahead of the Everton game.

While emergency loan deals have now been banned to fall into line with FIFA regulations, the Premier League can still grant permission for goalkeeping loans on a rolling one-week basis if a club can prove they do not have two senior goalkeepers available for a game.

Stryjek has not made a single senior appearance for Sunderland, with his only action outside of development games coming during a loan spell at non-league Boston United.

The Black Cats have emerged from the transfer window with problems at both ends of the field, with the collapse of a proposed deal for Steven Naismith having left them with very little cover for their leading centre-forward, Jermain Defoe.

Borini will be sidelined until early December after injuring himself while taking a free-kick at St Mary’s, meaning youngster Joel Asoro is the only alternative if Defoe sustains an injury.

Defoe has been nursing a slight hamstring niggle for a number of weeks, and while Duncan Watmore could play as a central striker at a push, David Moyes remains desperate to add to his options.

Free agents are not covered by the regulations governing the transfer window, and there are a number of players Sunderland could pursue in the next few days.

Two former Black Cats are available, with Stephane Sessegnon and Nicklas Bendtner both having been unable to find a new club on deadline day.

The Northern Echo:

Sessegnon left Sunderland for £5.5m in 2013, but scored just eight goals in 79 Premier League appearances for West Brom. Bendtner, who does not turn 29 until January, claimed eight goals in 25 top-flight starts during a loan spell on Wearside during the 2011-12 season, and is a free agent following his release from German club Wolfsburg.

Emmanuel Adebayor, who was released from Crystal Palace after an unsuccessful six-month spell at the end of last season, is another option, although his wage demands could well prove prohibitive. Victor Anichebe, who failed to score in the whole of last season, is also available, having been unable to secure a new deal at West Brom.

Sunderland did manage to complete two signings on deadline day, with Manchester City defender Jason Denayer joining club-record buy Didier Ndong in putting pen to paper at the Stadium of Light.

Denayer made an early-evening dash across the Pennines in order to complete a medical at the Academy of Light, with his transfer going through an hour or so before the deadline.

“I’m really excited to start the season with Sunderland,” said the 21-year-old Belgium international. “The last week was really long and really difficult, but now I’m happy to be here and I’m really excited to start.

“It was a stressful time (on deadline day) because I didn’t get to the training ground until 9 o’clock and stayed until 11. But I was very happy when it was finished. Now it is passed, and I can focus on the season.”

Denayer has previously spent time on loan at Celtic and Galatasaray, and is hoping his footballing skills will help improve Sunderland’s backline.

“I see myself as a defender with physical qualities,” he said. “I am quite fast and I can play with the ball, so maybe I can give something different to the team. I hope that is what I am going to do. This is why I have come here, to help the team and to help myself to grow up.”