Roker Roundup: It’s looks like Bryan Oviedo’s Sunderland departure has moved a step closer...

Oviedo to move after the weekend?

News broke in Belgium during the week that Sunderland’s Bryan Oviedo was close to a move to Club Brugge, a move that may explain the recent arrivals of Marc McNulty and George Dobson.

A television station in his homeland of Costa Rica, Teletica, ran a story on the Belgian report but claimed at the end of the segment that Oviedo says that he will sign for his new club on Monday or Tuesday.

Sunderland have been hoping to move the left-back on for some time but have found it difficult to find a taker due to Oviedo’s high wages but it appears as if long-term admirers Club Brugge will finally get their man.

Photo by Tim Markland/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Heckingbottom understands McNulty move

Hibernian manager and former Sunderland defender Paul Heckingbottom had been trying to re-sign Marc McNulty all summer after a successful loan spell during the second half of last season.

Those attempts were thwarted when the striker moved to Sunderland earlier this week but although Heckingbottom made clear that his club cannot even compete with some League Two clubs, he understands McNulty moving to such a big club:

Sparky was certainly open to coming back but it was always going to be tough.

There is one thing that is maybe not appreciated but, financially, there are some League Two clubs down in England who could blow us out the way.

Sometimes it is crazy. But if players want to go for money reasons to other places, that’s fair play to them. I can understand this one as well, with Sparky going to Sunderland, because of the size of the club.

I would expect them to be up there challenging next year in League One and then looking longer term at Sunderland in the Championship. They are a big club.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Campbell speaks out

Mark Campbell, a businessman who came close to buying Sunderland last month from Stewart Donald, has taken a step closer to buying Scottish outfit Falkirk after the club entered “detailed negotiations” with him in the hopes of wrapping up a takeover as soon as possible.

Campbell has been speaking about the deal but also took to Twitter to reply to Falkirk fans and along the way provided some details on his failed Sunderland bid.

He confirmed that he wanted to buy the club and always had the intention of buying both Sunderland and Falkirk but that the deal ‘was not to be’:

Speaking officially, Campbell said he had been looking at a number of options in England and Scotland but wanted to invest in the potential at Falkirk. He also confirmed that John Park, who was lined up to be Sunderland’s Director of Football, will take over the same role at the Bairns:

I’ve looked at a number in England and Scotland, but when I was introduced to Falkirk I saw huge potential and an opportunity to achieve something special.

The club has a large and loyal fan base and I want to work with these fans and the staff to make the club everything that it should be.

I am interested in the long term sustainability of the club, which will have an exceptional football director in John Park.

Park himself commented on the move and gave a glimpse into the kind of vision they may have had for Sunderland had the takeover gone through:

I am looking forward to working with the football management team and revitalising the development of young players.

Youth development will be an essential part of the club’s future.