The key factors at play as Sunderland and Swansea City battle for Lynden Gooch signing - and what to expect

It was, by his own admission, the best day of his career so far.
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Every inch an adopted Mackem, Lynden Gooch had felt every setback of the club's descent to League One and all the turmoil that followed as keenly as anyone on Wearside.

Little wonder, then, that the catharsis of that play-off win brought him to tears on the Wembley turf.

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After Sunderland's first-leg win against Sheffield Wednesday in the semi final, a quite magnificent photo of a man triumphantly hoisting a slightly bewildered boy into the air circulated on social media. Remarkably, Gooch would post on twitter that this was in fact his son and his uncle. It was a reminder of his deep roots at Sunderland, and how close the bond between player, city and club now is.

So is it really possible that just weeks after that 'amazing' day, Gooch could depart for pastures new?

Well, it's certainly not a straightforward decision.

Sunderland are understandably keen to keep the 26-year-old, whose attitude and work-rate is top draw, and whose versatility is invaluable to head coaches. They also want to keep some continuity from the squad that finished the season so strongly, and Gooch is a major presence in that dressing room.

Gooch is himself very obviously open to staying at Sunderland, and there have been talks between the parties ahead of pre-season beginning next week.

Lynden Gooch celebrates at WembleyLynden Gooch celebrates at Wembley
Lynden Gooch celebrates at Wembley
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There is other interest, however. Swansea City are in the market for a wide player and are known to be keen to striking a deal. It could leave Gooch with a difficult dilemma.

Part of it will of course be financial: this will be an important contract for Gooch as he heads towards his peak years and though they are continuing to adjust to the financial realities of life without parachute payments, you'd expect Swansea to be competitive.

Gooch's decision will go well beyond the bottom line, though.

Though the season ended in delirium and a run of strong performances, it was in his own words an 'extremely difficult' campaign at times.

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Gooch regularly played out of position, whether it be as a wing back or an outright full back. The criticism that came with that along the way clearly stung.

"I've had a lot of games at wing back and full back, and obviously I've grown up playing in central areas, wanting to score goals and create goals," Gooch told The Echo ahead of the final day of the regular season at Morecambe.

“It's not been easy, it's been difficult at times but you just try to do your absolute best for your team, for your manager and for the club.

“At the end of the day, it's your job to help both the team and the manager and that's what I've tried to do.”

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The American will play anywhere for the team and make the best of it, which is why he has been such a central part of the club's plans for so long. There comes a point, though, where such versatility can run close to stagnation for a player. Gooch is a player who wants to get close to the striker, with the opportunity to contribute goals and assists. On Wearside he has only really had one extended run in such a role, and his output in Phil Parkinson's 3-4-3 system was very good.

Gooch also explained before that Morecambe game that he understood the benefits of being a versatile player, and the final weeks of the season underlined his happiness to dig in for the greater good.

"At the end of the day, it's your job to help both the team and the manager and that's what I've tried to do," he explained.

"I think ultimately I've played in these positions because managers trust me [to do a job there], they know that I'm going to work hard for the team, that I'll get forward when I can but do my bit for the team going back the other way.

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"I'm obviously very happy to do that side of the game, I've been at the club a long time, it's the club I support and it's the club that I love, so I think managers know that when they put me there they are going to get that desire from me.

"I'll always have that desire to play anywhere if it means I can help this club and this team."

Producing a defensively resilient display as Sunderland got over the line against Wycombe Wanderers will, no doubt, have in the end meant just as much as playing his part in a decisive goal.

But while he would continue to put his hand up to play any role, for Sunderland or anyone else, you wonder whether may be at a stage in his career where he would like a little more stability and clarity.

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The situation looking on bears some similarities with Luke O'Nien's last summer, a similarly versatile player who felt the time had arrived for more stability. After hours of talks with Lee Johnson, who had decided to deploy him more regularly in midfield, he signed up.

What Swansea City currently have is a very clearly defined style of play under Russell Martin, and when you combine all of these factors it gives some insight as to why Gooch may well want to take a deep breath at such an important juncture in his career.

Does this mean he won't sign a new deal at Sunderland? Absolutely not.

He loves the club, the region, and will be motivated by the challenge of playing a part in the next step of the journey back to where he and the fans feel Sunderland belongs.

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There is still every chance he will extend his ten-year association far into the distance.

No one, though, could begrudge him at least pondering when the right time for a fresh start might be. Sunderland just hope to convince him it isn't yet.