The Gossip: Departures Dominate

It's been a relatively quiet week where incoming rumours have been concerned, with only three new additions to our ongoing list of transfer rumours.

Julian Speroni (Crystal Palace)
Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik (Stade Rennais)
Santiago Vergini (Estudiantes)
Marcos Alonso (Fiorentina)
Caner Erkin (Fenerbache)
Gordan Bunoza (Wisla Krakow)
Will Buckley (Brighton)
Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa)
Raul Meireles (Fenerbache)
Matt Grimes (Exeter)
Josh McEachran (Chelsea)
Diego Capel (Sporting Lisbon)
Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff)
Fabio Borini (Liverpool)
Martin Kelly (Liverpool
Moussa Sow (Fenerbahce)
Bafetimbi Gomis (Lyon)

Those three new names have taken our running total to a meagre 17. Normally you'd expect quite a few more names to be added but it seems as if this week has been entirely focused on deciding who stays and who goes from the current squad, before the club get their teeth stuck into the transfer market.

Before we get to the outgoings, we will take a look at the three new names, Moussa Sow, Bafetimbi Gomis and Martin Kelly.

The two strikers Sunderland have been linked with this week, Sow and Gomis, are undoubtedly good strikers with goalscoring pedigrees, however it seems unlikely that either will be appearing in the red and white stripes of Sunderland next season.

Despite our struggles last season, a striker does not seem to be a priority position. With Connor Wickham finally show what he is capable of, Jozy Altidore expected to return to the club after the World Cup, Steven Fletcher returning from injury, Danny Graham returning from a loan spell at Middlesbrough and Ignacio Scocco reported to be given pre-season, at the very least, to show what he is capable of, for the time being (and until after any potential departures) it looks unlikely that we'll see any incoming first team strikers.

Sow has long been linked with Sunderland but with the player's price tag rumoured to be £10m+ and his wages rumored to be around £52,000 per week, that should rule the Senegalese striker out of a move to the Stadium of Light. Gomis has no price tag around his neck due to coming to the end of his contract with Lyon but as he is reportedly asking for a staggering £100,000 per week, that will rule Sunderland out of the running for the French international.

The most interesting link of the week is that of Liverpool's Martin Kelly. With Phil Bardsley leaving the club, the Echo have suggested that Kelly is on Sunderland's radar as a possible replacement. According to the report, Liverpool would prefer to sell the 24-year-old, while Sunderland would prefer a loan.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers recently praised Kelly and said he should get more games next year but with Kelly only featuring 15 times in the last two seasons under Rodgers and Glen Johnson standing in his way, it wouldn't be a surprise if he sought a move, whether temporary or permanent, in search of first team football. Before the right back was beset by an anterior cruciate ligament injury, he was looking very promising and had made his senior England debut, so if the potential move happens and he has fully recovered from his injury nightmare, it could be a very shrewd move.

With potential incomings out of the way, Sunderland released their retained list this week, which confirmed the expected departures of Carlos Cuellar, Andrea Dossena, John Egan, Craig Gardner, Billy Knott, Jordan Laidler, Louis Laing, Alejandro Gorrin, Oscar Ustari, David Vaughan, Jordan Watson and Keiren Westwood.

From the released players, Gardner, Gorrin and Vaughan have already agreed deals to sign for a new club, West Brom, Wellington Phoenix and Nottingham Forest respectively. Cuellar has recently been linked with Crystal Palace, Dossena has been bizarrely linked with a move to AC Milan, Lazio are interested in Ustari and Blackburn are believed to be tracking Westwood.

Although Bardsley, Jack Colback and Seb Larsson are also out of contract, they were officially on the retained list as they were subject of new contract offers from Sunderland, as were youngsters Joel Dixon, Scott Harrison and George Honeyman.

Bardsley rejected Sunderland's offer of a new contract and joined Stoke City earlier this week on a three-year deal. The right back had been Sunderland's longest player and admitted the decision to leave the club was a tough one;

It was tough to leave Sunderland.

I had a wonderful six-and-a-half years there.

I feel the time has come for me to take on a fresh challenge in my career and the opportunity to come to Stoke is brilliant for me and as soon as I heard of their interest it was the only place I wanted to come.

Meanwhile, both Colback and Larsson have been the subject of strong interest from West Ham United, with recent reports making the London club favourites to sign Colback and Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet claiming West Ham have made Larsson a long term contract offer.

Modibo Diakite and Cabral both returned from loan spells in Italy but while it looks like Genoa won't take up the option to sign Cabral, Fiorentina may be persuaded to make the French defenders move permanent in part-exchange with the popular Marcos Alonso, who spent this week teasing Sunderland fans with his retweets.

Emanuele Giaccherini signalled his desire to stay at the club this week, telling an Italian website that his intention is to remain in the Premier League with Sunderland. While the Italian may be staying on Wearside, another popular figure, Alfred N'Diaye, is likely to be departing in the near future. Despite Real Betis' option to buy N'Diaye recently expiring, their city rivals Sevilla appear ready to grant 'Big Alf' his wish to stay in Spain.

Sunderland may face competition for the signing of Santiago Vergini. The Argentine defender, who spent the second half of the season on loan at the club, is attracting interest from French giants Marseille. Marcelo Bielsa, who recently took over at the French club, has reportedly added Vergini to his list of targets ahead of next season, which should increase Sunderland's urgency to take up their option to purchase the defender.

Finally, two players linked with a move away from the club look to be staying at Sunderland for the coming season. Nacho Scocco has been linked with a move away from the club, with Boca Juniors, Newell's Old Boys and Olympiakos all linked but it looks as if the Argentine striker will get the chance to prove his worth in pre-season and possibly beyond. Mavrias is another player who looks to get a second chance, with the Greek youngster wanting to show his potential at Sunderland, it looks as if he will get that chance, even if he may have to go out on loan to gain experience in England first.

Stay tuned to Roker Report throughout the summer as we keep you up to date with all the transfer news and rumours. Also, feel free to keep in touch with our dedicated Transfer Centre, which you can do by CLICKING HERE.