Could ‘warrior' Gooch be latest Blues signing from Black Cats?
POMPEY are reportedly showing an interest in Sunderland winger Lynden Gooch.
That’s according to BBC Solent, which means – if it proves to be true – Danny Cowley will head back to the Stadium of Light for a third time to conduct his transfer business, following January moves for Denver Hume and Aiden O’Brien.
The News also has connections in the north east, so we caught up with the Sunderland Echo’s Joe Nicholson to get the lowdown on the player – and to find out the likelihood of a Gooch transfer to Fratton Park
Here’s what he told us... Lynden Gooch has had quite a mixed season and I think he’ll admit himself it’s been quite underwhelming. He’s had a few injury niggles and has been the victim of playing a few different positions.
He’s not registered as many goals and assists as he has in previous years simply because he’s been moved around. He’s played at wingback, right-back, right-wing, left-back – all over the place!
His versatility may have counted against him, but it’s also got him in the side.
Gooch has improved recently as he played really well at right-back in the two playoff semi-finals against Sheffield Wednesday.
It was probably the best he’s played in a defensive role, but his season has been kind of mixed and I think he probably would have liked to have had more goals and assists.
He’s always been a versatile player. When he first broke through he was more of an attacking winger.
Now we’ve seen him play as a wing-back, the right side of a back four and on the left as well.
He’s definitely a very versatile winger.
His contract situation is a difficult one at the minute, because Alex Neil came in February and basically said to all the players ‘we’ll talk about contracts at the end of the season because the aim is to get promoted and if you do so you’ll be in a better position to negotiate a contract’.
That’s nothing against Gooch specifically because he said it to the whole squad.
If Sunderland went up to the Championship, he has the qualities to step up to the level at 26.
He’s shown at times this season he has the quality to step up to the second tier, but he’s been quite inconsistent.
That’s, again, partly becausehe’sbeenmovedaround a lot, although some fans are quite divided on him.
Some think he’s a really good asset, some don’t think he’s up to it as he’s been at the club a long time – for about 10 years.
It’ll be interesting to see if he does get offered a new deal or not, but I think he probably will because Alex Neil likes him.
The manager described Gooch as a ‘warrior’ a few weeks ago and he’s been playing him regularly.
My gut feeling is he will stay and be offered a new deal.
He loves the club and you could see the passion after the second-leg win over Sheffield Wednesday in the play-offs. You could see it meant a lot to him.
I was quite surprised by the rumour when I saw it, I’d have thought he (Gooch) is someone Neil would want to keep as a more experienced player, although he’s only 26.