Roker Roundup: Sunderland’s interest in free agent defender is serious - Burton to be postponed?

Catts comments on Dutch move

Lee Cattermole completed his move to Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo yesterday, earning a contract after a successful trial spell with the Dutch club.

The former Sunderland captain signed a one-year deal with the club and will link up with his team-mate from the first half of last season Jerome Sinclair.

Speaking after completing his move, Catts said that the offer arrived at just the right time, with the 31-year-old keen to try playing in a foreign country:

The club arrived at the right time, it offers a new opportunity for me.

I am very happy that after so many seasons in England I can now work in the Netherlands at a beautiful Eredivisie club such as VVV-Venlo.

With my experience I can contribute to the development of this young team. I want to move forward with VVV.

Duo linked

The transfer window for League One clubs does not close until September 2nd and with Jack Ross still hoping to add to his squad, two more players were linked with a move to Sunderland yesterday.

According to journalist Alan Nixon, Sunderland are interested in free agent central defender Joel Lynch.

The defender had been training with Premier League outfit Sheffield United while he looked for a new club but no contract offer was forthcoming by the Blades and now with Glenn Loovens departing the club, a space has freed up in the Sunderland squad for another central defender.

It’s our belief that Nixon is correct, and that Sunderland’s interest in the left-footed defender is genuine.

Meanwhile, the Portsmouth News have credited Sunderland with an interest in Liverpool midfielder Herbie Kane.

Kane had a starring role on-loan for Doncaster Rovers last season and had been made available for loan once again, with the News believing Sunderland, Portsmouth and Coventry City were are all interested in his services.

Any move will have to wait however, as the report claims that despite the player being keen to head out on loan, he has been instructed to remain at Anfield to take part in their Carabao Cup campaign.

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Clough expects postponement

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough has been discussing his team’s injury list ahead of their trip to Shrewsbury Town tomorrow.

He believes it is difficult managing recovery when the League One fixture list is so hectic but believes his team will have some respite in September with Clough expecting the game against Sunderland to be postponed due to international call-ups:

Richard Nartey has been struggling with his ankle for two weeks, that’s why he hasn’t been involved much but you see his value when he comes on.

We’ve missed John-Joe O’Toole, who’s probably been our best defender in the first few games, he was out with his groin, so it gives us a selection problem if he’s fit for Saturday.

We hope he’ll be okay, he just needed that clear week to let it settle down.

When you’re playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, it’s difficult, you don’t get any recovery time from it.

So I think this will help him.

It’s a mad little period, August 3 when we started to September 3 - there’s nine games. Then we’ll probably have a break for the internationals, with playing Sunderland, so we’ll need that. But nine in 31 days is a tough start to the season.

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