Fringe players Liam Bridcutt, Will Buckley, Jordi Gomez, Adam Matthews and Charis Mavrias won’t be heading to Austria after training away from Sunderland's first team squad this week.
The five players have no future at the club and are surplus to requirements by Sunderland.
Manager Sam Allardyce takes his players to the Alps for a nine-day behind-closed-doors training camp. The 61-year-old has touched down in Austria with just one fresh face in the group; Trialist Charles N’Zogbia has joined the first team in Austria whilst on the lookout for a new club.
Apart from N’Zogbia, no other fresh faces are amongst the group, however Allardyce stated in an interview with the Sunderland Echo earlier this week that he would be focusing on the top players already has at his disposal and would sign players who could make an ‘instant impact’ in due course.
Seven youngsters have joined the first team squad in their intense training camp too. Rees Greenwood, Josh Maja, Ethan Robson, Tommy Robson, George Honeyman, Tom Beadling and Josh Robson all travelled.
Allardyce willing to give youngsters a chance
Allardyce has already demonstrated his desire to give youngsters a chance after Duncan Watmore and Jordan Pickford became regular first team members, while Greenwood, Tommy Robson and Honeyman were all handed Premier League debuts against Watford in the final game of last season.
(Photo: Chronicle Live)
Seventeen-year-old Maja had caught Allardyce’s eye and was handed a professional contract over the summer. The striker possesses a great technical ability and is a powerful player who has previously played for Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester City. Sunderland fans became aware of Maja after his delightful assist in a 3-1 win against Manchester United under-18s last October.
The team spend nine days in the Alps and then travel to Victoria Park to play Hartlepool United on July 20 for their first game of pre-season.