ROKER ROUNDUP: Sunderland receive welcome boost as creative midfielder won’t miss out this week

Gooch misses out

Despite being in top form so far this season, Lynden Gooch has missed out on a call up to the USA national team for their forthcoming fixtures against Brazil and Mexico.

The 22-year-old has four caps for his country but will have to wait to add to that tally after interim manager Dave Sarachan decided against calling up the Sunderland player even though he named a squad with an average age of 23.

The attacking midfielder leads League One with assists this season with four after just six games, and he also has one goal on his record after scoring an injury time winner against Charlton Athletic on the opening day of the season.

Gooch missing out means the only first team players to be called up are Costa Rica’s Bryan Oviedo and Bali Mumba, who was called up by England under-18, and they will both miss the Stoke City Checkatrade Trophy tie and the home game against Fleetwood Town.

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Liverpool swoop for youngster

Liverpool appear set to sign young Sunderland midfielder Luca Stephenson for a fee of £500,000 according to The Sun.

The report claims the midfielder was happy to remain at his local club but was persuaded to make the switch to Anfield after being offered an attractive deal.

The Liverpool Echo claim the fee is more likely to be around the £200,000 mark for the 15-year-old but with the midfielder set to join Liverpool’s under-18 team, should the deal go through.

Stephenson has been part of a successful year for the Sunderland academy with both the under-14s and the under-13s both winning the Premier League International Tournament.

Onuoha heads stateside

Former Sunderland defender Nedhum Onuoha has a agreed a deal with Major League Soccer outfit Real Salt Lake.

West London Sport revealed that although the defender was keen on a return North after his deal with Queens Park Rangers expired, with the 31-year-old being unable to agree terms with interested parties, he has decided instead to head to America.

Onuoha made 32 appearances for Sunderland after joining on loan from Manchester City during the 2010-11 season and made sure he would be remembered at the Stadium of Light forever with a fantastic individual goal against Chelsea.

We interviewed Onuoha earlier in the year and he discussed that goal, his time at the club and whether he was approached about a possible return this summer. You can read that interview HERE.

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