Thome going home?

Former Sunderland defender Emerson Thome, who conceded what turned out to be a decisive penalty in last weekend's League Cup Final, says he doesn't know where he'll be playing next season.

The Brazilian-born player, a crowd favourite known by some as "The Wall" during his time with Sunderland, says that his contract with Bolton Wanderers expires at the end of this season, but Sam Allardyce has yet to approach him with a new contract offer.

Emerson signed for Sunderland in the summer of 2000 for £4.5m from Chelsea, and it's widely rumoured that his departure from the club only came about because another appearance would have triggered an additional payment to Chelsea in the region of a quarter of a million pounds when the club were in considerable financial difficulties; in his final season with Sunderland, Emerson made only one Premiership appearance, in the 4-1 away defeat against Spurs in February 2003.

And Thome, who will celebrate his 32nd birthday later this month, hasn't ruled out a move overseas. "I have no idea what I am going to do. I don't even know if I am going to be staying in the country.

"My contract is up in the summer and I don't know where I am going. I could be staying with Bolton, I could be going back home or I could be going elsewhere.

"I've had a fantastic time during my six years in this country, apart from the relegation with Sunderland last season and the injuries I picked up."