Newcastle and Middlesbrough goalkeepers feature in this week's North East Notes - but we'll start with Sunderland on the back of a busy week at the Stadium of Light...

SUNDERLAND'S NEXT MOVE AFTER KIT LAUNCH

Sunderland's new stadium store and 2024/25 home kit has gone down a treat with supporters this week.

Having reunited with the Black Cats, hummel have gone above and beyond to design a shirt bespoke to Sunderland. Queues snaked around the car park ahead of the official opening of the store on Friday morning.

"It's mind blowing to see so many people queuing to get the new home shirt," said Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, who was at the launch of the store on Thursday evening and returned on Friday morning and dished out pink slices to fans.

"Now I'm glad we put in so much effort in the last six months because you can see what it means to people."

The away and third kits are still to come, with chief business officer David Bruce promising something "really, really special".

But Bruce and his team behind the scenes won't stop there.

"Soon to come on the heels of this is what we're doing with our ticketing business and moving that operation to the stadium, a custom built space for ticketing at the North West corner," he explained.

"Some of the tech and platforms we're putting in place around ticketing will enable us to deal with customer fan issues and queries in real time.

"There will be more points of contact for customers to ask questions around ticketing, so they're not necessarily having to come to the stadium to get an answer."

CELTIC GOALKEEPER SEARCH

Celtic's search for a goalkeeper this summer has resulted in speculation concerning both Newcastle and Middlesbrough, with Martin Dubravka and Tom Glover both linked.

The Scottish champions are on the lookout for a new No.1 after Joe Hart's retirement, with back-up duo Scott Bain and Benjamin Siegrist currently the only first-team keepers at the club.

A new keeper is a must for boss Brendan Rodgers this summer, but his assistant John Kennedy admits Celtic have faced "challenges" in their search to strengthen between the sticks.

“I think the club are working hard on that," he said this week.

"Some targets have been identified and we’ve been working on that in the background. It’s a key position for us; we know it’s a position we need to get in. We want to do that as soon as we can.

“There are obviously some challenges in terms of the negotiations that will take place. But ultimately, we know it’s a key position for us. We want to get the key positions in as quickly as we can, so we get to work with them, and the manager and the board are working hard on that.”

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There's goalkeeper uncertainty at both Newcastle and Middlesbrough this summer.

Eddie Howe is revamping his keeper department, with Loris Karius having already moved on and Dubravka expected to join him through the exit door. Howe wants competition for Nick Pope, with Burnley's James Trafford a leading target, while the Magpies have also reportedly made an offer to John Ruddy, a free-agent after his Birmingham City exit.

As for Middlesbrough and Glover, well the Australian international was linked with Celtic and other clubs, including Newcastle, at the back-end of last season.

He arrived last summer with Seny Dieng but the Senegal international won the battle for the gloves and will be No.1 again next term, and there's a fierce battle on for the role of deputy, with the impressive Sol Brynn and Zach Hemming having returned to the club after eye-catching loans.

METHVEN'S NEW ROLE

Controversial ex-Sunderland figure Charlie Methven has been appointed chief executive officer at League One Charlton.

And he'll be working alongside Sunderland's former chief operating officer Jim Rodwell, who is now managing director at The Valley.

Methven returned to football last year as one of seven shareholders in Global Football Partners, who took charge of the Addicks.

In his new role, Charlton say Methven "will be responsible for the off-pitch growth of the football club and will oversee the day-to-day running of the club at The Valley".