Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has insisted that he would never join North-East rivals Newcastle United.
The 23-year-old is expected to leave the Black Cats this summer following their relegation from the Premier League, with the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United having been credited with an interest in the England Under-21 international.
Newcastle have more recently been linked with the keeper following their promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking, but Pickford stressed that he would refuse to emulate Jack Colback in crossing the Tyne-Wear divide.
"Jack's playing on the other side of the water these days unfortunately. I would never do that," he told reporters.
"I couldn't do it myself. I would never go to Newcastle. [Leaving Sunderland] is not something I've looked at yet and it's not something I want to look at either."
Pickford has made 25 Premier League appearances for Sunderland this season despite missing two months of the campaign with a knee injury.
Barney Corkhill
