ROKER ROUNDUP: Transfer breakthrough as fee finally agreed for Sunderland’s World Cup playmaker

Khazri set to depart

Wahbi Khazri has been linked with a number of clubs this summer, thanks to his starring role for Rennes in Ligue 1 last season, but the attacking midfielder is still a Sunderland player due to his ongoing involvement in Tunisia’s World Cup campaign.

With their last game taking place against Panama later today, it appears as if Khazri’s future will be resolved within days.

According to L’Equipe, the 27-year-old is set to join Saint-Etienne after the Ligue 1 club agreed a fee with Sunderland, and the player agreed in principle to join Les Verts. The report claims that Khazri will travel to France shortly after Tunisia’s game against Panama to finalise his move.

There is no word on what fee we will receive but the club rejected an offer of €6m for player last month.

Thanks to his good season with Rennes and shining for his country in the World Cup, we will hopefully get close to the £9m we paid Bordeaux back in January 2016.

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

Oviedo features

Costa Rica bowed out of the World Cup yesterday but went out with a fight thanks to a 2-2 draw with Switzerland.

Sunderland’s Bryan Oviedo started at left wing-back and played the entire game as the Central Americans twice fought back from a goal down to earn a draw with the Swiss, thanks to goals from Kendall Waston and a Bryan Ruiz penalty that rebounded off the bar and into the back of the net off the head of Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Oviedo came close to giving his side the lead with a spectacular effort from distance, but the Sommer tipped his effort around the post. Switzerland took the lead thanks to goals from Blerim Dzemaili and Josip Drmic - they finished runners up in Group E and will play Sweden in the last 16.

After the game, Oviedo posted a message on social media where he spoke about the fulfillment of his lifelong dream of getting to play for his country in the World Cup, but also reflected on his disappointment on not being able to progress any further in the tournament.

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

League One star not headed to Sunderland

Sunderland have been regularly linked with Peterborough United winger Marcus Maddison this off-season, but Roker Report understands that the club have no interest in the midfielder.

He is going to join a new club however, with Posh’s owner Darragh MacAnthony confirming on Twitter that the player is in talks with two sides, with both hoping to agree personal terms with the 24-year-old.

The winger was made available for transfer at the end of last season after Peterborough failed to gain promotion to the Championship, and should make the step up to that division before the new season gets under way.