Roker Roundup: Bryan Oviedo indicates that Sunderland were to blame for failed Deadline Day deal

Oviedo on failed WBA move

Bryan Oviedo almost signed for West Bromwich Albion on transfer deadline day, only for the move to fall through at the last minute.

Speaking to Costa Rican outlet crhoy.com, Oviedo said that he had actually passed his medical and signed the contract with West Brom but that Sunderland failed to sign the document to ratify the transfer before the deadline closed:

I was notified at 6:00 p.m, I traveled about 3 hours from my house, I did the medical tests and I signed, but in the end it was 11:05 and I saw that something was strange.

I asked my representative and he told me that they supposedly did not send the documents before 11:00 pm.

This does however contradict what Stewart Donald said had happened when he appeared on the Roker Rapport Podcast this weekend, where he indicated that Sunderland were fully innocent in the breakdown of that particular deal.

Sunderland AFC via Getty images.

---

Behind the scenes of Maja move

Josh Maja completed his £3.5m move to Bordeaux last week, with the striker signing a four-year deal with the Ligue 1 side.

The 20-year-old posted a behind the scenes look at his transfer from Sunderland on Twitter yesterday, to show the process from airport to confirmation:

---

Accrington chairman on Grigg transfer

Accrington Stanley chairman Andy Holt has been talking about the Lancashire club’s budget and plans for next season.

Holt was at pains to point out that they simply can’t compete with most of the other clubs in League One and pointed to Sunderland’s purchase of Will Grigg as an example of that, with his club’s entire budget not even covering the transfer fee for the striker:

You’ve got to look at it over the long run, our budget is about a 20th of the top budget in this league.

Sunderland payed £4 million for Will Grigg, I’m not criticising Sunderland because they are a great club and can obviously afford to do that.

Our turnover isn’t even £4 million. I’ll be delighted if we can consolidate this season.

Me and Coley are always talking about plans for next season with how the budget is looking and the plans we have in place.

---

Muntari joins Albecete

Former Sunderland loanee Sulley Muntari has joined Spanish second division side Albacete on a contract until the end of the season.

The 34-year-old played nine times for Sunderland after being signed by Steve Bruce back in the 2010-11 season.

Muntari had been a free agent since leaving Deportivo La Coruna at the end of last season.