NEWCASTLE

A number of players could be heading towards the St James’ Park exit door this summer, and despite only joining the Magpies last summer, it is looking increasingly unlikely that Mikel Merino will still be a Newcastle United player by the start of next season.

Having started his Newcastle career with something of a bang after moving from Borussia Dortmund, Merino slid down the pecking order dramatically in the second half of last season.

The Northern Echo:

The Spaniard started just two of Newcastle’s final 17 league games last term, and Spanish clubs Athletic Bilbao and Real Betis are set to battle for his services this summer.

Merino’s Basque heritage makes him especially appealing to Athletic Bilbao as they only select players with a Basque background.

However, Real Betis are also understood to be keen to sign Merino this summer, and after finishing in sixth position in La Liga last season, the Seville-based side are hoping the lure of European football in the Europa League will help persuade Merino to favour them over his other options.

It remains to be seen whether Newcastle will be willing to sell Merino, who still has four years of his current contract to run.

Spanish newspaper AS suggest Betis are hoping to start the bidding at around €10m, and it is unlikely that Newcastle would agree a deal at that price. However, with Athletic seemingly determined to push through a deal, the two clubs could yet become embroiled in a bidding war that could see Merino’s price tag rocket.


MIDDLESBROUGH

There has been a lot of attention about Adama Traore’s future in the wake of Middlesbrough’s failure to win promotion to the Premier League, but the next few weeks will also see Tony Pulis having to make a decision over Britt Assombalonga.

Assombalonga became Boro’s record signing when he made a £15m move from Nottingham Forest last summer, but while he was Garry Monk’s preferred attacking option, Pulis appears much more lukewarm about the striker’s qualities.

Rudy Gestede was selected ahead of Assombalonga before he injured his ankle, and Patrick Bamford also edged ahead of Boro’s number nine in the pecking order before he also sustained an injury towards the end of the campaign.

The Northern Echo:

Where does that leave Assombalonga if other Championship clubs declare an interest in his services this summer?

The striker’s price tag and wage demands will put off a number of sides, but the feeling around Rockliffe Park is that there will almost certainly be interest in Assombalonga before the transfer window closes at the start of August.

Will Pulis turn down all offers? Or will, as looks possible, he decide that selling Assombalonga makes sense if it significantly enhances his own spending power?


SUNDERLAND

One key issue should be resolved within the next 24 hours, with Sunderland set to confirm the appointment of Jack Ross as their new manager.

Ross will leave his current role in charge of newly-promoted SPL side St Mirren to take over at the Stadium of Light, and is understood to have agreed a two-year contract, with an extension clause for a possible third year, on a salary of around £350,000-a-year.

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That represents a five-fold increase on what he is believed to have been earning at St Mirren, and new Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has promised him he will have an extremely competitive budget at his disposal as he prepares for life in League One.

Will he target anyone in his current St Mirren squad? It’s definitely possible given that he has just led them to the Championship title north of the border, and on first inspection of the squad list, a couple of names leap out.

Sunderland desperately need a new first-choice goalkeeper this summer, with Lee Camp having left following the end of his loan spell and both Jason Steele and Robbin Ruiter having struggled badly last season.

Craig Samson was St Mirren’s first-choice goalkeeper last season, and his performances were a key factor in the Buddies’ runaway title success. He is 34, but Ross might decide his experience would be a major benefit in League One.

At the other end of the field, Lewis Morgan was St Mirren’s top scorer with 14 league goals. The 21-year-old was on loan from Celtic, and has returned to his parent club. If he is not going to make a senior breakthrough at Parkhead, might Ross look into the possibility of taking him to Wearside for another season-long loan?