The Sunderland prodigy travelling to Fulham and exactly what's happening with Jack Rodwell

Sunderland prodigy Bali Mumba will travel with the squad for the Friday night clash at Craven Cottage.
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Mumba is just 16 but has recently broken into the club's U23 side and has been capped at youth level by England.

The midfielder will be part of the travelling party but will not be part of the matchday 18, unless there is a late injury.

Sunderland youngster Bali MumbaSunderland youngster Bali Mumba
Sunderland youngster Bali Mumba
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Some of Mumba's talented team-mates will also make the trip.

Chris Coleman said: "Bali Mumba is travelling with us, as is Luke Molyneux, Elliot Embleton. We’ve lose one or two to injury and it will be good experience for them. Ethan Robson will be with us but he has been in and out of course.

"It’s the first time for Bali. He’s happy, I think we’ve got him out of double biology today!"

Coleman has a number of injury concerns ahead of the game to Fulham but will name as strong a team as he possibly can. That could mean one or two of the club's loan players features, despite relegation to League One already being confirmed.

Sunderland youngster Bali MumbaSunderland youngster Bali Mumba
Sunderland youngster Bali Mumba
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Coleman said: "There will be one or two younger boys in the squad with us because we have got one or two missing, and one or two doubts.

"Aiden McGeady has been playing for the last six weeks despite having injections in his heel before every game which has been a risk, and we don't want to take that risk now.

"It's got to the stage where we don't want put him at any more risk than we need to.

"Billy Jones is 50-50, probably a no, after coming back from injury last week.

"Bryan Oviedo is a no.

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"Lamine Kone has trained twice this week which is positive, so he should be alright.

"Josh Maja has had a slight problem this week so we've had to take him off the grass, but he should be OK to train today and to be involved tomorrow.

"Joel Asoro has trained the full week which is good news.

"If we get three points, it won't change our situation but we are still professional football people and our supporters are travelling down to Fulham, do we have a job to do and we have to do it as best we can," he added.

"Fulham are competing with Aston Villa and Cardiff for automatic promotion and we won't be doing anyone any favours – nobody did us any."

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Jack Rodwell continues to be absent from the first team picture and will not be involved in the final two fixtures.

Rodwell trains with the U23s after telling Coleman shortly after his arrival that he wanted to leave the club.

The 27-year-old turned down a deadline day loan move to the Eredivisie and has just over a year left to run on his current deal. His wages were not altered by the club's relegation to the Championship but should he stay, it will be reduced to around £40,000.

He has not played any competitive football since appearing in an U23 game at Exeter City on February 11.

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The highest-paid player at the club, he has played just 159 first team minutes this season.

Coleman said: "He trains with the U23s every morning, in that nice, safe umbrella, he’s not in the spotlight or the firing line with the rest of us, which he chose.

"When I say don’t know where he is I mean physically and mentally, and there’s no interest [from me] because he’s not the answer for us.

"I'm sure we've gone down the legal route of that situation and we are stuck with a player that doesn't want to play for Sunderland football club and wants to leave," he added.

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"But where is he going to leave and go to? That's the conundrum.

"He's got one more year on his contract and he doesn't want to play for us, so fine, go and play for somebody else, but the stumbling block is the contract.

"So we'll see at the end of the season.

"I know Jack did that article saying he wanted to play for England again so to do that, he's going to have to go and play football somewhere. The proof is always in the pudding."