Permanent option revealed at Sunderland, Ipswich striker contract admission plus three to leave rivals

With only three games remaining for Sunderland, only one goal separates them from the final play-off place after the Easter Monday’s goalless draw with Plymouth Argyle.

The Black Cats have three games remaining as they look to cement a place in League One play-offs, with two home fixtures against Cambridge United and Rotherham United before finishing the season with a trip to Morecambe.

Without defeat since February, Alex Neil has done more than steady the ship at the Stadium of Light and they could finally be set to secure a return to the Championship after four years away.

At the time of writing, if Sunderland overtook Wycome in sixth, they would face MK Dons in the play-offs, a team they defeated away but fell to defeat when they visited Wearside in February.

Behind them is Oxford United with 75 points. Karl Robinson’s men only have two games remaining, travelling to automatic promotion chasers Rotherham United this Saturday before finishing the season off with a home fixture against relegation battlers Doncaster United.

Check out the latest League One transfer speculation below…

Possible permanent switch for loan star

Sunderland goalkeeper Thorben Hoffman has revealed in a German magazine that there is a clause in his contract that could see the goalkeeper join the club permanently.

Hoffmann, currently on loan from Bayern Munich, hasn’t played for the Black Cats since February as Anthony Patterson has made the goalkeeper slot his own under Neil.

In a column for Kicker, the goalkeeper has claimed that he doesn’t expect to play for the club again due to a clause in his contract that would mean his move would be a permanent one.

The goalkeeper has struggled since he suffered with Covid-19 in January saying, “I myself am physically worse and worse; shortness of breath, dizzy spells, aching limbs, headaches and chills have joined the existing symptoms.”

Trio set to leave league rivals

With Charlton having nothing left to play in League One, business for them has already got underway as London News announced today that three players will be released at the end of the season.

Ben Watson, Chris Gunter and Pape Souare will all depart the Addicks when the season concludes in May. Watson has managed only nine appearances this season, with the former Crystal Palace man set to announce his retirement.

Wales international Gunter has also struggled for first-team minutes under Jonathan Jackson, having not featured since March.

Another ex-Palace man, Souare, will also leave after only signing in September. The left-back hasn’t appeared since the start of January.

On-loan striker makes contract decision

Tyreece Simpson, 20, has informed Ipswich Town of his wishes to depart the club when his contract expires at the end of the season, despite the option to extend the deal by a further 12 months should the club wish so.

The striker spent the first half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan with Swindon Town, scoring nine goals and assisting three in 25 league games.

Speaking today, Town boss Kieran McKenna confirmed the news, saying: “Tyreece has not been training with the first-team group recently.

“His representatives spoke to the Club a couple of weeks ago and confirmed his wishes to move on in the summer.”