Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat has said that he understands why owner Ellis Short has been reluctant to invest big money in the club in recent seasons.

The Dutchman insisted that he does not blame the businessman for withholding transfer funds due to the scant returns he has received on past investments.

"I totally understand because he has spent as much as he did over the last years and has seen nothing back every year, playing for relegation," PA Sport quotes Advocaat as saying.

"For [Short] it is not a problem to spend money if the player will show a lot to the fans but a lot of players - not one or two or three, much more - he's still paying for and they're not here.

"That is not good for the club and I can understand a bit of the suspicion."

Advocaat did manage to strengthen his squad earlier today, completing the loan signing of Sweden international Ola Toivonen from Rennes.