News from Sunderland AFC, including the most recent transfers and team updates prior to the game against Rotherham
Prior to Sunderland’s matchup against Rotherham United in the Championship, Tony Mowbray held a pre-game press conference.
The Championship match between Sunderland and Rotherham United is coming up, and Black Cats manager Tony Mowbray will have his pre-game press conference today.
The Black Cats will be hoping to get back on track after suffering back-to-back 2-1 league losses to Preston and Ipswich.
While there may be exits on Wearside in the upcoming weeks, Sunderland is still looking to improve before the end of this summer’s transfer season, particularly up front.
As Mowbray addressed the media, we’ll have live updates from the Academy of Light:
Possibly departing
Senior players Danny Batth, Alex Pritchard, and Lynden Gooch are drawing interest, according to Mowbray, who also acknowledged that players may depart Sunderland before the end of the transfer window.
Three players who each have one year remaining on their Black Cats contracts have not been selected for the starting lineup in either of the team’s opening two league contests.
When questioned about the trio last week, Mowbray responded, “Listen, the question is a difficult one for me to answer.
I’ve played football for a very long time, so I know how important it is for squads to have a good mix of seasoned players. However, I believe that each player’s situation is unique.
“Some of it might have to do with how much money you’re willing to spend on someone who might not play frequently. Additionally, some players have expenses like cars, houses, etc., and when their contract is about to expire, they start trying to negotiate a new one. If you then reach a dead end, it certainly appears like that.
I’m only truly interested in what happens on the grass, as you’ve implied to me there, he continued.
“So I would rather Danny Batth right there in the centre there, heading the ball out of the box when we play Luton away. However, if you reach a deadlock where no new contract offer is acceptable, and we’re looking at other options, then, as I’ve said, they’re here and a part of it, and I’m sure you can ask me a different question about their availability then. I’m just being respectful of the athletes right now. They’re all great, and in their various positions last year, they excelled for the team.
the most recent
In the last two weeks of the transfer window, Sunderland is still trying to bolster their attacking line.
Prior to last weekend’s game at Preston, Mowbray remarked, “There is time, and we have to get it right and not just get any old footballer.” We’re working hard in hopes that we’ll be successful.
With Evans and Matete out injured, Sunderland is aiming to improve its options in central midfield in addition to adding reinforcements up front.
“The midfield area is quite light if you think that there’s Dan Neil, Pierre Ekwah, and then Jobe – after that you are into Chris Rigg, who is a 16-year-old boy,” Mowbray stated last weekend.
“It’s a potential region worth investigating.
“We are aware that we are a little light in there, but I think the reality is that we have to get the front end of the pitch sorted out first.”
“It’s an area where we might look for a more seasoned footballer to help the area out,” he continued. It’s not as if Dan (Neil) and Pierre (Ekwah) are 26 or 27 and have made 300 appearances; they are both 21 years old.