MARCUS STEWART has pledged to score goals at Sunderland for as long as he remains part of Mick McCarthy's squad.

The future of the 31-year-old remains clouded in doubt with just two weeks to go until the start of the Coca-Cola Championship.

A proposed move to his hometown with Bristol City is understood to have broken down earlier this summer and there are other clubs to have considered making approaches for the player.

However, nothing, as yet, has materialised and Stewart looks as if he will be in manager McCarthy's thoughts for the start of the new season.

Sunderland, eager to reduce the wage bill, are still open to offers for the former Ipswich Town striker if chairmen are willing to go close to his Premiership wages.

And vice chairman John Fickling, also hoping to offload goalkeeper Thomas Myhre sooner rather than later, admitted recently: "There are a number of players who could go. We are trying to reduce the wages so Mick can bring other players in.

"Mick has it in his own mind that he wants to move to a younger team and we could well see some of the more senior and more expensive pros move on."

Stewart, though, was part of the Sunderland squad that returned from a tour of the United States yesterday.

He was part of the side that ended the trip on a high with a 3-0 win over Wilmington Hammerheads and he will be included in the squad that travels to Barnsley on Monday.

There was no way Stewart, scorer of 16 goals last season, was going to discuss whether he was close to leaving the Stadium of Light, but he insisted that he is as confident as ever that he can find the net.

"I know what was going on but I'm not going to talk about it," said Stewart, who will be competing with Kevin Kyle and Stephen Elliott for a place in the starting line-up at Coventry if he stays. "The only thing I can say is that I've never lost faith in my ability and I know I will score goals next season if I get the games. I'm confident I can continue to get goals.

"I'm sure the manager's still in the market for another forward so we'll have to wait and see what happens."

Meanwhile, full-back Mark Lynch may have to wait a little longer before making his bow in a Sunderland shirt.

The 22-year-old, signed too late to fly out with the rest of the squad to the United States, took a knock on his leg in training and is doubtful for the trip to Barnsley on Monday. Lynch, who arrived from Manchester United last week, was expected to make his first appearance at Oakwell.

Sunderland already have one summer signing missing the start of the season after Liam Lawrence injured ankle ligaments.

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