Sunderland confirm USA squad with two injury boosts and one loan exit near

Sunderland have confirmed that Alex Bass will not be joining the squad on their pre-season tour.

Bass is believed to be closing in on a season-long loan switch to League Two side AFC Wimbledon, and the club will instead be taking first-year scholar Matthew Young as cover and support for Anthony Patterson. Bass' departure would leave the Black Cats in need of additional goalkeeping cover for the season ahead.

Young will be joined by fellow scholar Chris Rigg, who scored the winner in Sunderland's first pre-season friendly against South Shields on Saturday.

Academy defender Zak Johnson will also be making the trip.

Aji Alese, Elliot Embleton, Ross Stewart and Corry Evans will all stay on Wearside as they recover from injury, but Tony Mowbray has been handed two big injury boosts. Dennis Cirkin and Jenson Seelt will both be on the tour, significantly increasing their chances of being fit for the start of the season.

Seelt could make his first appearance for Sunderland on the tour, alongside fellow summer signing Nectar Triantis.

Danny Batth and Jack Clarke, who have been linked with summer moves to Blackburn and Burnley respectively, are both in the squad. Batth missed Saturday's friendlies with a minor injury.

Travelling squad: Anthony Patterson, Matthew Young, Danny Batth, Lynden Gooch, Luke O’Nien, Dennis Cirkin, Niall Huggins, Nectarios Triantis, Jenson Seelt, Joe Anderson, Dan Ballard, Trai Hume, Zak Johnson, Alex Pritchard, Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg, Dan Neil, Pierre Ekwah, Jack Clarke, Patrick Roberts, Ellis Taylor, Abdoullah Ba, Isaac Lihadji, Jewison Bennette, Jay Matete, Hemir.