'I'm told' - BBC reporter shares significant Sunderland transfer news before the play-off final

Sunderland’s Lynden Gooch is reportedly attracting interest from Portsmouth ahead of the expiry of his contract. 

Gooch has been with Sunderland since 2012, having joined from the Santa Cruz Breakers Academy in his native United States.

He penned a contract extension in December 2018, but that deal only runs until the end of the current season.

Gooch, who’s valued at £540,000 by Transfermarkt, has made 211 appearances for the Black Cats overall, scoring 23 goals and providing 35 assists in that time.

BBC Sport reporter Andrew Moon tweeted the news about Gooch on Thursday evening.

“I’m told that out of contract SAFC winger Lynden Gooch is a player that would interest Pompey should he become available,” he wrote. 

It remains to be seen whether Sunderland agree fresh terms with the American, or allow him to seal a free transfer to Fratton Park.

Sunderland will hope that this story doesn’t serve as a distraction for Gooch ahead of next Saturday’s League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers.

The 26-year-old looks almost certain to start at Wembley, having played every minute of the two-legged semifinal against Sheffield Wednesday and started ten of the last 13 in the regular season.

Gooch, who has four caps for his country, is a useful asset for any manager given his capacity to play in multiple positions. This season, alone he’s operated in both full-back positions and wing roles.

His former manager Lee Johnson described him as a ‘bustler’ and a ‘pocket dynamo’, marvelling at his energetic presence.

The arguments for extending his stay, then, are pretty compelling.

In other news, an insider has dropped another key transfer update.

Source