Bravo injury could impact Sunderland
Manchester City were plunged into a bit of an injury crisis this week when Claudio Bravo ruptured his Achilles, and that long term injury meant 20-year-old Daniel Grimshaw was the only back up for first choice goalkeeper Ederson.
Due to their goalkeeper shortage, City recalled Montenegro under-21 international Aro Muric from his loan spell at NAC Breda, where he had made his debut and kept a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over De Graafschap on Saturday.
With the Dutch side needing a new goalkeeper, they have drawn up a shortlist which reportedly includes second choice Sunderland goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter at the top of that list.
Allerlei namen als mogelijke eerste keeper voor NAC genoemd nu Muric is vertrokken. In willekeurige volgorde: Logan Bailly, Robbin Ruiter, Przemyslaw Tyton, Kenneth Vermeer, Kostas Lamprou, Ruiter lijkt kandidaat nummer 1 op dit moment.
— chris tempelman (@mactempel) August 23, 2018
Anichebe explains lack of club
Victor Anichebe held an impromptu Q&A session on Instagram last night and in it he revealed the reason he is still without a club.
The 30-year-old explained that his last club, Beijing Enterprises, breached some FIFA regulations and as the striker filed an action against them with the world’s governing body, his registration was held until that was resolved.
Anichebe also said he hopes to catch a game at the Stadium of Light soon and called on Sunderland to reward Josh Maja with a new contract as soon as possible.
You can check out some of his replies in the gallery below.
Rodwell signs for Blackburn
Sunderland’s former midfielder and England’s future central defender Jack Rodwell has finally found a new club after he signed a short term deal with Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers.
Speaking to Blackburn’s website after the move was confirmed, Rodwell explained that he has ‘had a bit of time off’ but is looking forward to playing regularly again (again?):
I’ve obviously had a bit of time off, but I can’t wait to get going again. It’s a great club and I’m just really excited to be playing again.
Blackburn is a club which has won the Premier League before and it doesn’t get bigger or better than that.
After meeting the manager, I feel it’s an ambitious club and a great fit for me. I knew a bit about the club and he’s told me a lot about the lads, the team spirit and the camaraderie in the group. That’s something I will enjoy getting involved in. It’s a new chapter and something I’m looking forward to.
He sold the club to me and came across really well. I’ve played here a few times during my time at Everton and enjoyed playing at Ewood Park, so I’m looking forward to playing there in a Blackburn shirt now.
After meeting the gaffer I could tell he loves his role and is very passionate about the club. I can’t wait to get playing under him.
It’s important for me to get out there and start playing football again. There have been ups and downs over the years, but that’s in the past and now I’m just looking forward and focused on the future ahead.
I’ve had 10 years of first team football and at 27 I am still relatively young, so I have that youth and experience under my belt, which will hopefully show in my performances.
I will be aiming to use that experience to help the team.
I don’t think I have anything to prove. I want to enjoy it and prove to myself, to be honest. I want to love the game again and play week in, week out.
#Rovers are delighted to confirm the signing of @JackRodwell on a short-term deal!
— Blackburn Rovers (@Rovers) August 23, 2018
Full story: https://t.co/UtCmU7iuoP pic.twitter.com/pgsruZICdX
Power pens open letter
Max Power is already proving a hit at Sunderland, with the midfielder scoring two goals in his last two League One games.
Power was just as popular at former club Wigan Athletic and the 25-year-old penned an open letter to the Latics fans in the Wigan Observer:
I dropped back in on Monday morning last week to say my goodbyes, and it was great to see everyone before going for good.
I leave on very good terms, and that’s not always the case when players leave clubs.
I sat down with Paul Cook and the staff, we had a good chat, and we all agreed it was the right time for it to happen.
Obviously no-one’s ever guaranteed a place in the team, but when it becomes clear (following the signing of Lee Evans) it’s going to be hard to see yourself playing in the first team...
There comes a point where you have to make a decision...there comes a point where you know your time’s up.
There’s no bad blood at all, and I’d like to thank Paul and his staff for the way this has been handled.
They could easily have dug their heels in and kept me here, but they didn’t.
On deadline day, the club received a bid from Sunderland, and they decided to accept that bid.
They didn’t want to stand in my way of wanting to play first-team football, but at the same time I wasn’t forced out of the door either.
It was a hectic few hours on deadline day, I have to say.
I leapt into the car, and drove all the way up to Sunderland...and it was a tough drive, I’m not going to lie.
I didn’t necessarily want to leave this club, even though I knew the path to the first team would be incredibly tough.
I made some phonecalls on the way up – people who’d been at Sunderland, other people whose opinions I respect...people like Gary Caldwell and Stephen Warnock.
They all felt it was a really good opportunity for me, and to go for it.
At the same time, you don’t want to drop out of the Championship, having worked hard to get up there.
I want to prove to people I can play at that level, and I still think I can... although the journey to get back there has just been extended for another 12 months.
I’m joining a huge club – the facilities, the manager, the stadium, everything.
It was very similar to me signing for Wigan three years ago... the biggest club in the division by a stretch, who are desperate to get promoted.
There’s a good feel about the place, they’ve sold more season tickets this summer than last year in the Championship.
I’m sad, but at the same time very happy and excited to be joining a big club like Sunderland.
I’m 25 now, and it’s an exciting prospect to be able to hopefully help them up the leagues like I did here at Wigan.
The fanbase up there speaks for itself, and I can’t wait to experience a home game for the first time.
It’s funny, you’re always seeing arguments on social media about size of crowds, and the Wigan fans...
One thing’s for sure – number of fans don’t win you games out there on the field.
I’ve loved the Wigan fans while I’ve been here, and the relationship we’ve had has been very special.
They’ll be the first to tell you they’re not happy, but at the same time it’s a great place to be when it’s all going well.
And I’d like to think I’ve endeared myself to them over the three years I’ve been here.
I’ve met some great people along the way, I’ve been involved in charitable causes, I’ve tried to integrate myself into the community wherever possible.
That only adds to the sadness that it’s come to an end for me here.
I’ve seen Wigan described as the biggest small club in the country, which I think says a lot.
Wigan seem to get under the skin of a lot of people up and down the country for some reason, I’m not sure why.
You get the jibes about it being a rugby town, and that’s part and parcel of being a fan.
I think maybe a lot of clubs are a little bit envious of what this club has achieved over the last 15 years... Premier League, the FA Cup win, Europa League, down to League One and then going back up.
It’s certainly never dull here, but I’ve loved every minute and I’ll always hold the place close to my heart.
I had a little blip last summer, as everybody knows, but I like to think I made up for that and made it right.
I don’t think many players would have come back from that but it was important for me that I did.
There’s so many memories...Doncaster away,Fleetwood away, Blackpool away, Man City in the FA Cup...I’ll never forget it.
I always gave everything I had for the club, I played through injuries, out of position...things that some people don’t always see.
It’s funny, the gaffer’s told me I probably would have played on Saturday at Aston Villa – but not in the centre of midfield.
I might have been out on the right, and that’s not helping me or the team in the long run.
As I leave, I look around and there’s only Griggy and Crackers left of the original Gary Caldwell signings, so that shows how much things can change in three years.
Obviously Perks left earlier this summer so I’ve had to go, I couldn’t stay without him!