MANCHESTER CITY hope to sign 14-year-old keeper Toby Bell — the latest youngster on Sunderland’s amazing production line.
City are eyeing the England youth prospect and are prepared to pay compensation that will go up if he makes the grade.
APPep Guardiola is eyeing a summer move for Sunderland starlet[/caption]
Schoolkid Bell comes from the same ranks that discovered England’s No 1 Jordan Pickford and the current Black Cats keeper Anthony Patterson.
Meanwhile, Sunderland centre-half Bailey Wright could be set for a permanent move from Wearside to Rotherham.
Millers had the Australian international, 30, on loan for the second half of last season — and boss Matt Taylor would like him to return despite injuries limiting him to just eight appearances.
Sunderland have Wright under contract for another year so it will take a bit of negotiating to find a solution.
Bailey’s loan spell at the New York Stadium was cruelly cut short due to ankle ligament damage.
Black Cats boss Toby Mowbray said after his April return to the Stadium of Light: “Bailey has got a protective boot on.
“He’s done his ankle ligaments pretty badly.
“He’s going to do some of his rehab here, but he’s going to go and work around their matchdays there and have his face around the dressing room.
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
GETTYBailey Wright could be on his way back to Rotherham[/caption]
“He’s enjoyed his experience there.
“They’re fighting really hard there and they’ve had some decent results in recent weeks.
“And as we found when we went there you have to be 100% on it to beat Rotherham because they are never going to be anything else than that.
“They’re a very committed team and he’s hoping that they can stay away from the bottom three.
“I don’t think he’ll play again this season, we think it’ll probably around 6-8 weeks.
“He should be back training come June.”