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Roker Roundup: Keeper who cost Sunderland £2m finds ANOTHER club & Maja gets Nigeria call-up

In today’s Roker Roundup: Mika - who once cost us £2m - has been released again to allow him to join another new club; Josh Maja has received international recognition; and signing Lee Cattermole was easy, apparently.

Your daily reminder of Sunderland news!

Easiest transfer ever

VVV-Venlo’s football manager Stan Valckx has revealed that signing Lee Cattermole was the easiest transfer he has ever arranged.

Cattermole signed for the Eredivisie club this summer after he left the Stadium of Light by mutual consent and speaking to Voetbal International, Valckx explained just how straightforward signing the midfielder was:

An unknown number called me this summer. It turned out to be Lee’s management, whether he could play football at VVV.

Why? He was looking for a nice club in a nice competition, that’s the real story.

We agreed that he would train for a week.

We then gave a salary indication. No problem.

The artificial grass? No problem.

Everything was arranged in two or three hours. this was perhaps the easiest transfer I have ever made.

Dutch Eredivisie”ADO Den Haag v VVV Venlo”

Maja called up

Sunderland academy product Josh Maja has been called up for international duty for the first time after he was selected in the Nigeria squad to face Ukraine.

London-born Maja is eligible for both England and Nigeria (through his Nigerian parents) but after the Three Lions have failed to select him at any level, Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr has decided to give him his first taste of international football.

Nigeria are set to play Ukraine on September 10 and Maja joins his Bordeaux team-mate Samuel Kalu in the squad.

Girondins de Bordeaux v Genoa FC - Friendly match Photo by Anthony Dibon/Icon Sport via Getty Images

Mika moves on

Ex-Sunderland goalkeeper Mika has joined Portuguese second division outfit Academica, after leaving Belenenses by mutual consent.

The 28-year-old has played for both Uniao de Leiria and Belenenses since leaving Sunderland but barely featured for either side, mainly acting as back up for their first choice goalkeepers.

Mika will be hoping for more appearances for Academica after signing for the club on a one-year deal.

Sunderland Unveil New Loan Signing Michael Simoes Domingues Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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