Youngsters fly out to Cats’ camp

ALEX Neil has brought a crop of youngsters to Portugal to work alongside his senior squad during Sunderland’s pre-season training camp.

The Black Cats flew out on Wednesday for a week-long stay on the Algarve which will combine warm-weather training with two friendlies against Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers and Jose Mourinho’s Roma.

Sunderland’s entire first-team squad has made the trip, including new defensive signing Daniel Ballard who completed his move from Arsenal last week.

However, with so many players leaving Sunderland, either at the end of their contracts or because their loan period had expired, Neil’s squad is short on numbers and that has meant half a dozen players from the club’s development squad have travelled and will have an opportunity to catch the eye.

With the departures of Lee Burge and the on-loan Thorben Hoffmann over the summer, Anthony Patterson is Sunderland’s only senior goalkeeper at present.

That has meant 21-year-old ex-manchester United youngster Jacob Carney – who was a regular for the under-23s last term, played one EFL Trophy game and was included on the bench in the league a handful of times – and 18-year-old academy graduate Adam Richardson have travelled to work alongside Patterson under goalkeeping coach Mark Prudhoe.

Irish midfielder Caden Kelly is also here, the 18-year-old having impressed for the under-23s last season and having also featured as a late substitute in an EFL Trophy game.

Academy graduate Ellis Taylor is part of the squad, the 19-year-old midfielder rewarded after spending last season on the fringes of the first-team squad when he featured three times in the EFL Trophy and once in the Carabao Cup.

Midfielder Harrison Sohna, 20, has also made the trip, having started three EFL Trophy games last term and also been a regular in the under-23s.

Michael Spellman, who joined the club from Chester-le-street United this summer following a successful trial in the second half of last season, is also in Portugal.

The 19-year-old winger played numerous times for the under-23s last season, his performances earning him a one-year deal with the club.