ROKER ROUNDUP: Midfield duo linked with move to ambitious Sunderland - time to get a move on?!

Midfield pair set for Sunderland move?

Sunderland have been linked with moves for midfield duo Dylan McGeouch and Marcus Maddison over the weekend.

McGeouch is a central midfielder with Hibernian but is set to leave the Scottish club this summer due to his contract expiring. According to the Scottish Sun, Jack Ross is interested in bringing the 25-year-old to the Stadium of Light on a free transfer but will face competition from Rangers, Aberdeen, Blackburn and QPR.

The former Celtic midfielder has just enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, winning both the Player of the Year award and the Players’ Player of the Year award at the Hibs end of season do.

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He is currently away with international duty with Scotland, and like the recently pair of John McGinn and Lewis Morgan he wants to wait until his return to sort out his future:

I have just put it all on hold. I knew I was coming away with the international squad so I just wanted to get that out of the way and hopefully get a few caps. I will go back home after these games, sit down with my representatives and take it from there.

I am not in a rush to make any decision just now.

We have also been linked with a move for Peterborough United winger Marcus Maddison.

The former Newcastle United and Gateshead wide-man was transfer listed at the end of the season after Peterborough’s chairman Darragh MacAnthony promised the player he would be allowed to leave if the Posh failed to go up last season:

When I sat down with Marcus last August and agreed a new contract with him, I gave him my verbal assurances that were we to fall short and not gain promotion, I would allow him to leave the club subject to an offer acceptable to the football club and place him on the transfer list.

Marcus has been in his four years with the football club our stand out attacking midfielder and one of the best players offensively outside of the Premier League and the Championship.

He has had an incredible career with the Posh and it is only right that I stick to my word and give him the best chance possible to further his ambitions of playing further up the football pyramid so with sadness today (Thursday), I can confirm he is available for transfer.

The Daily Mail claim Sunderland have entered the race for the 24-year-old who has been one of the most creative forces in League One in recent seasons. We may have entered the race, but if we are to sign the player we may need to hurry our efforts up as McAnthony claimed on Twitter (as recently as Friday) that the player may be off to an unnamed Championship club.

O’Shea retires from international duty

John O’Shea played the final international game of his career last night as the Republic of Ireland beat USA 2-1 at the Aviva Stadium.

In what was the former Manchester United defender’s 118th game for his country, O’Shea was accompanied onto the pitch by his children and was only given 30 minutes before he was ceremoniously substituted to a standing ovation by an appreciative Irish crowd.

After the game, the 37-year old said that the substitution was pre-planned - but was a bit cryptic as to why:

I planned it a while ago with the manager to come off that bit earlier because the season ended a few weeks ago for me and I might have a couple of things coming up in the next week or two, too, so I had to be a little bit careful.

The 37-year-old said there was no sadness at his international retirement, just happiness for what he has achieved:

But look, amazing to have my kids and my family here, cousins, half of Waterford here.

It’s brilliant and it’s just a fantastic night. And there’s no sadness, it’s just all joy because it’s been amazing to put on that jersey 118 times.

I’m from Ferrybank and to think that I was going to go and play for Ireland 118 times, it’s incredible. I’m just immensely proud and delighted to be involved in a night like this.

O’Shea was even thanked for his services to Ireland by Irish President Michael D. Higgins.

Sunderland’s own Lynden Gooch was also quick to praise O’Shea on social media but, after being one of seven players to drop out of the USA squad earlier in the week, the 22-year-old missed the big occasion for his Sunderland captain.

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