EXCLUSIVE: Stoke and Preston battling it out to sign Sunderland stalwart

Sunderland stalwart Lynden Gooch is a wanted man ahead of the transfer deadline, with Preston and Stoke City both keen on the American.

Gooch has been at Sunderland since the age of 10, when he would travel to England from California in the school holidays to join up with the club's academy.

However, that long association may now be coming to an end, with former Sunderland boss Alex Neil among his admirers.

Neil breathed fresh life into Gooch's career by converting him to full-back, although the American has played just about every position on the pitch for Sunderland at this point.

If Neil is going to bring him to Stoke, though, he will have to beat off competition from Preston, who have held an interest in the 27-year-old all summer.

Gooch is very settled at Sunderland but, along with Alex Pritchard and Danny Battth, has been told his contract will not be extended beyond the current season.

The Wearside club would still be comfortable with keeping all three, though, but will not stand in the way should they get an offer of greater security elsewhere.

So, while the focus will be in much-needed arrivals, particularly in attacking areas, before the deadline, player departures are also very much on the table.

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