Football League World
·15 November 2023
Football League World
·15 November 2023
Lynden Gooch has given his response to the positive Patrick Roberts development at Sunderland.
Robert is a key figure in the Black Cats’ squad, featuring in 14 of their opening 16 matches in the Championship this season.
The 26-year-old has provided one assist from 11 starts, having contributed five goals and seven assists from 42 appearances in the previous campaign.
Sunderland confirmed that Roberts has agreed to a contract extension, which will keep him at the Stadium of Light until the summer of 2026.
The forward initially joined the club in the 2022 January transfer window, signing from Premier League side Manchester City.
Gooch responded to a social media post from Roberts recognising his new deal.
The former Sunderland player expressed his delight at seeing his ex-teammate commit his future to the Wearside outfit.
“Lovely,” wrote Gooch, via Instagram.
Roberts spoke positively about his contract extension, revealing his ambition for his time with the club.
The versatile forward is looking forward to extending his time with Sunderland given how much he’s enjoyed his first two years at the Stadium of Light.
“I’ve enjoyed every moment of being here and I’m delighted to get the deal done,” said Roberts, via the club’s website.
“The supporters have been great with me and it’s been an enjoyable journey so far, and long may that continue.
"Sunderland is a huge club with huge expectations – I can’t wait for the next few years together and hopefully we’ll have more success along the way.”
Roberts initially joined Sunderland as part of a loan agreement, before making the deal permanent following the team’s promotion success.
Sunderland finished sixth in their first campaign back in the Championship, but failed to gain promotion following a 3-2 aggregate loss to Luton Town in the play-off semi-finals.
Mowbray’s side will be aiming to earn another top six finish this year, as the club sets its sights on promotion back to the Premier League.
The Black Cats have been outside the top flight since 2017, when they suffered the first of back-to-back relegations, leaving them in League One.
Sunderland are a club back on the rise after a turbulent few years, with the team currently sitting sixth in the second division table following last weekend’s 3-1 win over Birmingham City.
Next up is a trip to face Plymouth Argyle on 25 November.
Roberts is capable of playing across the front three, which makes him a very valuable player to the Sunderland team.
His versatility is a huge asset, and allows him to play in different roles depending on Mowbray’s preferred tactical setup in any given game.
The 26-year-old has also proven himself at a Championship level, and could be a key part of a side looking to push for promotion.
While he hasn’t been as effective as last year in the current campaign, there is no doubt that he will start contributing goals and assists soon, making this new contract a positive development for the club.
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