Sunderland duo Paul McShane and Daryl Murphy will not be joining the Blues this summer, according to reports in the North-East. The duo are amongst a host of Black Cats players to have been linked with a reunion with their old boss Roy Keane this summer.

McShane and Murphy are both said to want to see whether they have a chance of winning places in new manager Steve Bruce's team at the Stadium of Light, with the former Wigan boss having indicated that everyone at the club will be given the opportunity to prove themselves during pre-season.

The pair, along with Trinidad and Tobago wideman Carlos Edwards, were reported to be on Keane's list of summer targets a week ago.

McShane has also been linked with a move to former loan side Hull, while Murphy is believed to be interesting a number of Championship clubs.

Meanwhile, Notts County boss Ian McParland is still hopeful that released Town striker Billy Clarke will opt to accept the League Two side's offer of a contract: "I know that a number of clubs are interested in Billy and he will have a lot of talking and thinking to do when he gets back from holiday. But both he and his agent realise that we are serious about signing him, and I'm encouraged by the fact that he has not dismissed the possibility of joining us.

"I know that some of the interested clubs are in higher divisions than us, so realistically it's still a long shot. But hopefully I can get the backing to make a good offer and we can convince him when we meet that Notts County is the club for him.

"If Billy wants to join us then I will be delighted but if not, we need to move on. We already have a list of targets - not just strikers but for other positions as well - which I've given to the prospective new owners."

Championship side Sheffield Wednesday are believed to be the frontrunners for Clarke's signature, while his former loan club Brentford, who he helped to the League Two title last season, have made their interest clear.

Fellow League One sides Norwich City and Oldham, now managed by Dave Penney who was Clarke's boss during his earlier spell at Darlington, are also believed to be in the hunt for the Cork-born striker. Another League Two side, Lincoln City, have also been linked.

Elsewhere, Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock says he expects former Blue Shefki Kuqi to leave Selhurst Park this summer: "I've not heard from Shefki and to be honest I would have probably heard from him by now if he was going to accept our offer. A couple of German clubs have made him offers."

Recently German reports indicated that the Finnish international had agreed to sign a deal with second division side Koblenz, the club where his brother Njazi, a one-time Town trialist, currently plies his trade.

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