Roker Roundup: THREE Championship clubs ‘ready to table contract offers’ for Sunderland defender

Competition for Matthews

There were rumours last week that former Sunderland manager Steve Bruce wanted to take Adam Matthews to Sheffield Wednesday, but it now looks as if he will have competition for the right-back’s services.

Former Sky Sports North East reporter Pete O’Rourke - who revealed Bruce’s interest in Matthews - says Queens Park Rangers and Barnsley are also now interested in the Welsh international, with all three clubs ready to table contract offers.

The 27-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, but Sunderland’s planning for next season has been made more complicated as they still don’t know which level they will be playing at until after Sunday’s play-off final against Charlton Athletic.

The reported also claims that success in that play-off final is the club’s only hope of keeping the player with Matthews keen on returning to the Championship.

Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Trialist leaves Chelsea

Young central midfielder Ruben Sammut, who had a trial spell at Sunderland towards the end of the season, has revealed that he has left Chelsea after he posted his goodbyes on social media.

Sammut played with Sunderland’s Under 23s in a bid to earn a contract at the Stadium of Light ahead of next season and featured in a 3-1 defeat by Stoke City in the Premier League Cup.

The Scotland under-21 international had been at Chelsea since the age of 7 but will now be looking for a new club after he was released my Maurizio Sarri’s side.

Sammut also had a short spell on loan at Falkirk in the Scottish Championship earlier in the season.

Robson excels in Dundee defeat

Dundee ended a difficult season in which they were relegated to the Scottish Championship by losing 3-2 at home to St Mirren.

Despite the defeat, Sunderland loanee Ethan Robson finished the season well from an individual perspective and provided a sensational assist while his team were down to nine-men.

Dundee were 1-0 up after 14 minutes when Cammy Kerr gave his side the lead, but they were down to 10-men after just 22 minutes when Darren O’Dea prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity.

St Mirren threw on Cody Cooke at the break and he scored two quickfire goals to give the visitors a 2-1 lead, but with his side down to 9-men after Genserix Kasunga went off injured and no substitutes remaining, Robson won the ball deep into his own half, ran up the sideline and unleashed a terrific ball for Scott Wright to run onto and equalise.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to earn a point as Cody Cooke sealed his hat-trick just moments later.