ROKER ROUNDUP: Sunderland owner clears up confusion around signing Liverpool striker Liam Millar

Bali triumphant

Bali Mumba has been away on international duty with England this week, as they took part in the Limoges tournament in France.

After beating both the Netherlands and Russia by a 3-0 scoreline, they took on France today knowing they had already wrapped up the tournament after the Netherlands beat Russia 2-1 earlier in the day.

England still went finished the tournament in style though as they beat hosts France 2-1 in the final game thanks to goals from Ethan Laird and a well taken penalty by Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka.

Mumba will now return to Sunderland and will be available for the game against Burton Albion at the weekend.

Donald clears up confusion

Sunderland had been linked with a move for young Liverpool striker Liam Millar for most of the summer but despite Stewart Donald confirming our interest in the player during a Roker Rapport podcast back in July, no move had materialised and he continued to appear for Liverpool’s youth teams:

I don’t think it’s officially gone through.

He was someone that was on our list and we were expecting him to sign.

However in Stewart’s latest appearance on the podcast, which you can listen to HERE, Donald cleared up the confusion and admitted that the rumoured move for the Canadian international was only down to an error on his behalf:

Now, I might have got the wrong Liam when we were talking. When we were talking about a Liam, I was looking at a Liam on Merseyside and we were signing a lad from Liverpool and Everton (Jordan Hunter and Jack Bainbridge) and I’ve got my names confused there.

We were looking at a lad called Liam something and a lad called Miller something and when you said Liam Millar to me, I used the first name of one and the second name of the other.

So I’ve got that wrong.

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Hysen calls it quits

Former Sunderland winger Tobias Hysen has announced that he will retire from football at the end of the coming season.

Hysen currently plays for IFK Gothenburg and the Allsvenskan season only has 10 games to go, so the former Swedish international is working hard to rehab an injury so he can play an active part before calling his career a day:

I have made the decision to leave after this season, but I’m not really done with my active career at IFK Gothenburg.

I have loved and been part of that association throughout my life and it will continue to happen. Every day, every week, every year.

It’s not over yet, and I want to wait to have a good parting, instead to fight hard with my rehab, and be in touch with game time in the rounds that are left after the next national team break.

However, I thought the time was appropriate to announce that there will be no continuation on schedule for my part after 2018. IFK Göteborg, on the other hand, I will never let go.

He ends his career at the club that also featured his great-grandfather Carl, grandfather Erik and father Glenn but the 36-year-old also had kind words to say about former clubs Sunderland and Shanghai SIPG as he announced his retirement:

To Sunderland and Shanghai SIPG, thank you for the time we had with each other. It was brief but fantastic, I will always cherish the experience of being far from home.

Ha’way The Lads!

Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images