Roker Roundup: Swedish press report confirms Benji Kimpioka is close to signing Sunderland deal

Kimpioka set to sign

Phil Parkinson confirmed last week that Benji Kimpioka’s contract stand-off with Sunderland was drawing to a close, saying the Swedish under-21 international will be given a chance when he returns:

The last I heard on that was that Benji was close to agreeing his contract, it’s the same contract which has been on the table for a long time.

I’m not sure whether that’s been finalised in the last couple of days, but if it is, then he comes back and gets himself fit, and let’s see if he can push himself into the reckoning.

There’s no question that he will be given a chance. It’s frustrating that he’s a bit behind. He’s been working on his fitness back in Sweden, although until we get him over here, we won’t really be able to see where he is.

Now Swedish outlet FotbollSkanalen confirm that the 20-year-old is on the verge of signing his new Sunderland contract.

Kimpioka had been interesting several clubs according to report and his agent said earlier in the month that the player had turned down offers from three top flight Swedish sides while he waited for his Stadium of Light future to be resolved.

Photo by Iam Burn/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Bajamich to MLS advanced

Sunderland had made an offer for Instituto forward Mateo Bajamich but the player looks destined to head to the MLS with Houston Dynamo.

According to the Argentine club’s vice-president Mariano Carbonari, who was speaking on PLX Pulxo radio, the move is ‘well advanced’ and the negotiations are centred on keeping a percentage of the player’s registration.

Carbonari also revealed that Dynamo had improved their offer by 70%, which seems to have been enough to push the deal through.

The sale of Bajamich is not closed but it is well advanced. The US club improved conditions. There would be news in the course of the day.

The sale is made in official dollars at 75 pesos. In a normal market it would be done at a better value for the transfer. We are trying to close at 80 percent and a bit more. The whole negotiation is to keep a percentage, we are looking at the percentage of the Bajamich origin club so that all parties are satisfied.

Here we are looking after the interests of the club. The player did not press anything to exit. We have a good dialogue with all parties and that all parties agree.

Houston Dynamo improved the offer by 70 percent. We are going to pay 2 percent of the transfer to the Cordovan Football League.

McManaman headed to Victory?

Former Sunderland winger Callum McManaman could be headed down under with reports suggesting that he is wanted by A-League outfit Melbourne Victory.

The World Game claim McManaman has been in talks with the Australian club as they look to add experienced players from Europe to their side.

The Sydney Morning Herald say the club are keeping quiet about links to McManaman while they sort out visas for any prospective imports that will allow them to enter and remain in the country.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images