Recap & Rumours: New favourite - odds move on Phillips for Sunderland job & more fresh gossip

Odds drop on Phillips for manager

Kevin Phillips is the new favourite for the vacant manager's job at Sunderland with odds dropping sharply overnight for the 43-year-old Derby County coach to succeed David Moyes at the Stadium of Light.

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The Black Cats striking legend is the latest figure to surge to the top of the bookmakers' chart, with odds sinking from an also-ran 25/1 to a rated-as-likely 6/4 late yesterday.

Super Kev has been quoted as suggesting he would be interested in the job at Sunderland, but his name hasn't really been mentioned for the role since the first few days following the departure of Moyes.

With the hunt led by chief executive Martin Bain appearing to widen as various figures are sounded out for the post - has the Black Cats post-war goal-scoring record-holder been the latest to be approached? Or did someone merely lump a cheeky hundred quid on him getting the job last night?

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Goalkeeper on why he didn't sign for Sunderland

Marco who? Marco Amelia was invited to train with Sunderland last September after leaving Chelsea as a free agent and he's been telling the press in Italy why he didn't sign up with the Black Cats.

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Faced with Vito Mannone being ruled out for up to three months, David Moyes had moved to sweep in cover between the sticks after losing the Italian who was then his first choice 'keeper and initially appearing to miss out on signing Boa Vista goalie Mika Domingues.

At the time, Sunderland considered a range of options which also included then-Bordeaux 'keeper Cedric Carasso, Genoa's Mattia Perrin and Joe Hart who reputedly turned down the chance to join the club.

In the end, Moyes opted to allow Jordan Pickford the chance to develop in the absence of the injured Mannone. And the rest, in that regard, is history.

Amelia had spent the previous season at Stamford Bridge, but made no appearances. Asked why he didn't remain in the Premier League and sign for the Black Cats, the 35-year-old says he had to return to Italy to solve a crisis and from there signed a short-term deal with Serie B side Vicena:

I wanted to. I had offers in the Championship, I tried with Sunderland but then I decided to go home to solve a family problem. So I found myself without a team and in February, from free transfer, I signed up for Vicenza. With enthusiasm, the minimum wage.

Amelia is in the hunt for a new club this summer and with Jordan Pickford and Vito Mannone likely to leave the Stadium of Light, could he do a job in the Championship?

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Gaël Clichy to Sunderland?

Not sure what to make of this one, but Turkish outlet Sporx have named Sunderland as one of a number of clubs who have expressed an interest in French left-back Gaël Clichy.

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The 31-year-old is set to leave Manchester City this summer having been released. Liverpool are thought to have offered the former Arsenal full-back a two-year deal but that hasn't stopped him being linked with a host of other clubs including Fenerbahçe, Swansea, Leicester, Nice, Marseille and somewhat ambitiously, Sunderland.

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The brand dwindles

With relegation Sunderland have dropped out of one assessment of the biggest names in world football.

The Brand 50: Football is an annual assessment of a club's visibility, revenue, marketing power and strength of image produced by London-based business valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

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The Black Cats had been rated in the fifty biggest hitters in the global game for a number of years. Considered 31st 'top' football brand in 2015 and rising to 22nd last year, Sunderland have now crashed out of the elite list following their miserable season in the Premier league and subsequent drop into the Championship.

You can browse the full report here.