Roker Roundup: Report bizarrely links Sunderland with €20m move for Turkey international man

Turkish international linked

Sunderland have been linked with a surprise move for Fenerbahce midfielder Ozan Tufan.

Turkish publication Fanatik claim that Sunderland, as well as Premier League duo Southampton and Everton, have been in touch with the Tufan’s agent to register their interest in the Turkish international.

The report goes on to suggest that Fenerbahce want €20m for the player, an amount that the English clubs see as too much for the 24-year-old but the Super Lig side are only willing to go down to a fee of €18m.

Regardless of the situation of Sunderland’s takeover, I think we can see this link as being fanciful, even if we get promoted to the Championship.

Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images

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Ruiter on second season of Netflix show

The second season of Sunderland ‘Til I Die is set to hit Netflix within the next month or so and, with that in mind, Dutch radio station NPO Radio interviewed former Sunderland goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter.

Ruiter was heavily featured in the first season, as Sunderland succumbed to relegation to League One but the now PSV Eindhoven player is not sure how much of a role he has to play in the new season.

The 32-year-old believes what happened to Sunderland in the first season was a perfect situation for Fulwell ‘73 and thinks a similar show about PSV would be a hit, not that he would want to watch that:

I haven’t seen anything this season, so I have no idea what they’re going to show to the public.

For the documentary maker our first season was actually perfect. There was so much drama in a bad season. For the second season it would have been nice if we were promoted again, but unfortunately it doesn’t work out.

At PSV you always go for the championship. We were eliminated on three fronts before the winter break. This would have been perfect for a documentary maker, but I would rather not have seen it. Although I think that if you compare it to the series of Sunderland, PSV would also be a hit.

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Clough approached by Sunderland

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough appeared on The Totally Football Show this week to discuss life at the Pirelli Stadium.

During the podcast, Clough was asked whether being at a club whose average attendance was under 3,000 led to him looking at pastures new.

Clough said although he was not actively seeking a new job, his chairman has told him that he will not stand in his way if the right offer comes along.

He then revealed that Sunderland may have been that right offer after they made an inquiry following the sacking of Jack Ross but that it did not lead to anything more than that due to Phil Parkinson’s appointment:

No, not actively seeking, but if one comes up, and the chairman said all along he wouldn’t stand in our way.

He’s been brilliant over the years like that. But it’s got to be a reasonable job to tempt us away from here, because we work with one of the best chairmen in the country and we’re allowed to get on and do our jobs and manage.

I think Sunderland made an inquiry when that vacancy came up a few months ago, but that didn’t go anywhere in the end and they got Phil Parkinson in. So it would take, I think, a situation like that.

I think it would take other clubs maybe to recognise the situation in which we work here, which is tough, with the financial restrictions. But we keep trying to put good teams on the pitch that play football – it doesn’t always work, I have to say what, but we try and play good football.

You can listen to the interview with Clough in full during The Totally Football Show podcast, which you can either find HERE or by clicking play on the link below.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Diamond shines

Sunderland youngster Jack Diamond is having a successful time on loan at National League side Harrogate Town.

His side are sitting second in the table and beat Yeovil Town 3-0 on Tuesday night, with Diamond scoring and later being named man of the match - his second consecutive man of the match award.

Diamond scored the second goal of the game, slotting home past the goalkeeper and you can see that goal and the highlights of the game by pressing play on the YouTube video below - Diamond is number 23, with his goal coming at the three minute mark.