ROKER ROUNDUP: Former Sunderland DoF confirms striker move & ex-Everton man discusses future

Borini set for Milan stay

Fabio Borini had recently been linked with a move to Juventus after a relatively successful spell on loan with AC Milan, but Roberto Di Fanti - who is now the former Liverpool forward’s agent - scuppered those rumours in an interview with calciomercato.com and says the striker will stay at Milan for as long as they want him.

I believe that the club are very happy with what Fabio has done this season. We feel the confidence from everyone. He has been a great signing for Mirabelli. I think he will be a Milan player for a long time to come.

Juventus? I think that such an adaptable player would be tempting for many clubs. After all, he has played for the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Roma – quality teams. The plan is to stay at Milan, as long as the club want him to remain.

Although only at Milan until the end of the season, Di Fanti has confirmed that the Italian international’s switch to the San Siro will become permanent on July 1, with Borini signing a deal which will keep him at the club until 2021.

Yes, from the first of July it will be a player owned by the Rossoneri until 2021.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Oviedo talks Sunderland future

After just being called up to the Costa Rica squad for the upcoming 2018 World Cup, Bryan Oviedo has given an interview to Costa Rican outlet El Mundo where he talks about his Sunderland future.

In the interview, Oviedo made it clear that he has two years remaining on his current contract and will do whatever is best for the club but hopes that he will get opportunities if he plays well in Russia:

I have two years of contract with Sunderland, they are my employers and I adapt to what they want. It only remains to wait, I hope it is the best for both them and me.

Sunderland is a great club, I have always been very happy there, unfortunately for the last two years we have been a bit bad. But hey, I hope it changes with the new leadership. For the moment I’m still there, I have to wait. I hope in God to play the World Cup, do it in the best way and see what happens, and the opportunities will come.

Speaking of the World Cup, the 28-year-old is desperate to impress after missing the last tournament due to a double leg break in an FA Cup tie when an Everton player at Stevenage:

It’s something I’ve been waiting for for many years again, because in the last World Cup I had the misfortune of missing out. Now I have a great opportunity to be among the 23 called, it is very important for me and for my family.

I will work hard, give the best of me, making the best effort to reach the World Cup 100%. I would love to stand out in the World Cup, to be able to help the National Team a lot and be one of the best players, for me that is a goal and I will do my best to make it happen. It is something that fills me with hope and I hope in God to be able to fulfill this goal that is to play a World Cup and to be able to help the National Team to achieve even better things than those achieved in Brazil.

Getty Images

Djilobodji receives call up

Papy Djilobodji has joined Bryan Oviedo and Wahbi Khazri in hoping for a World Cup appearance after the on-loan Dijon defender was called up by Senegal for a 35-man preliminary squad.

Djilobodji, who has 12 caps for Senegal, had been in the international wilderness for awhile due to a fallout with head coach Aliou Cisse but they appear to have made up and Papy will be hopeful for being named in the final 23-man squad after starting Senegal’s last two friendlies.

Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

Whitley Bay friendly announced

Whitley Bay have announced the first Sunderland game of pre-season.

The fixture, which will take place at Hillheads on Saturday July 14, is likely to feature the Sunderland under-23 team rather than the first team but could well be the first game of the Stewart Donald era.