NEWS JUST IN: Sunderland have officially announced the trade of their phenominal striker,Patrick Roberts , to Stoke City for a £24million, five-year contract, according to an ESPN story. However….

Tony Mowbray, Michael Beale and Mike Dodds all played their part in Sunderland finishing 16th and it seems the hangover is continuing.

Young, 17, wasn’t involved though. He spent part of last season on loan with Darlington in the National League North. His top performances helped the club survive relegation.

The teenage shot stopper made 14 appearances whilst on loan, conceding just 13 and keeping 5 clean sheets.

He returns to Sunderland this summer with his stock high and Copley reports almost every National League club is keeping tabs on Young with a few in League One and League Two also.

Alex Bass has just joined Notts County on a permanent basis and number one Anthony Patterson has been linked with Manchester City.

However, it seems unlikely Patterson will go to City this summer. It is more likely Young leaves on loan again.

It’s crucial the 17-year-old gets as much game time under his belt in senior football as possible.

Patterson followed a similar path before getting his opportunity with Sunderland’s first team and it seems Sunderland have yet another promising keeper coming through their ranks.

Long way to go

Sunderland are a long way off ready for next season. The transfer window has just opened, but it’s quite quiet on the recruitment front.

And they are yet to appoint a new head coach.

The search for a new boss has been nothing short of embarrassing. The fans are losing patience, and with pre-season edging closer an appointment is crucial.

Sunderland have to improve on last season, but at the moment they seem miles away.

It will be very interesting to see how their summer goes and ultimately who comes in to lead the dressing room heading into next season