Roker Roundup: Pair of defenders linked with Sunderland look set to sign for League One rivals

Target keen on Pompey return

Sky Sports have recently linked Charlton Athletic defender Jason Pearce with a summer move to the Stadium of Light.

‘Sky Sources’ suggest that Sunderland, Portsmouth and Oxford United lead the race to sign the 31-year-old centre-half who could leave The Valley after their promotion to the Championship.

However reports in Portsmouth suggest that the defender is keen on a return to Fratton Park. Pearce started his career at Pompey but left for Bournemouth without making a senior appearance, he then had a one season return to the club but left when they were relegated to League One back in 2012.

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Posh see bid accepted for defender target

Another central defender linked with Sunderland could be set for a move to a League One rival.

According to Football Insider, Peterborough United have had a bid of £600,000 plus add-ons accepted for Oldham Athletic’s George Edmundson.

Both Sunderland and Rangers have been linked with the highly rated 21-year-old who has one-year remaining on his Boundary Park contract but Posh could be set to add to their already busy summer transfer business.

Darren Ferguson’s side have already signed the likes of Mark Beevers, Mo Eisa, Christy Pym, Niall Mason and Dan Butler.

Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images

Eboue discusses FA ban

Former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue had a short, ill-fated spell with Sunderland back in 2016.

The right-back joined the club in March of that year on a short-term deal but by the end of the month he had been banned from football for a year for failing to pay an agent and sacked by Sunderland.

Speaking to French outlet BFMTV about his time away from football during his ban, the Ivorian international explained how that experience made him feel ashamed and unable to face his own children:

FIFA suspended me from all activity, I did not have the right to train with a club for a year. I was training by myself and I was ashamed.

I used to train in the morning, but there were people who were training at that time and they came to take a picture. I then had to train at night, there was no light, but I could not stay at home.

When I saw my children, they asked me when I was going back on the pitch, so when I went out in the morning, I pretended to go to work.

I was staying outside and going home when my children were already in bed, I did not want them to ask me why they did not see me play.

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