Roker Roundup: Hasenhuttl explains Vokins Sunderland loan & Stewart competition from Jack Ross?

Hasenhuttl explains Vokins loan

Jake Vokins signed for Sunderland yesterday, as the 20-year-old arrived on a loan deal until the end of the season, with Lee Johnson keen to strengthen that area of the pitch following injuries to Denver Hume.

Despite starting against Arsenal in the Premier League last week, Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl explained to the Daily Echo why he allowed Vokins to temporarily leave the club:

Jake is going because I think at the moment it’s better for him to get a little bit more games to develop.

What we saw in the last game was that he is missing the games and the challenges. I have no chance to give him these opportunities.

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English goal for Doig

Sunderland have been linked with a move for Hibernian left-back Josh Doig recently, with the 18-year-old being in high demand following some impressive performances for Jack Ross’ side.

Although Southampton left-back Vokins arrived on loan until the end of the season yesterday, Doig could be more of a long term option and the player himself has admitted to Edinburgh Live that his goal is to move to England:

That’s everyone’s goal, is it not? At the moment I am just trying to keep my head down and trying to get as many games as possible this season because I am trying not to take anything for granted.

Two years ago I was getting released from a club [Hearts] and now I am here. It seems like all of a sudden I am here but I can’t let anything distract me pushing forward.

Doig goes on to say that he has been watching as much of fellow Scottish left-backs Kieran Tierney and Andy Robertson as he can, as he looks to improve his game:

I try and watch them as much as I can. They are both absolutely flying at the moment.

They are such an inspiration for young Scottish players, especially playing in my position. You can’t get any better than that.

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Ross competition for Sunderland target?

Another Hibs player Sunderland have been linked with recently has been their top goalscorer this season Kevin Nisbet.

Nisbet was the subject of a £2m bid from Championship outfit Birmingham City on Thursday and Ross has admitted to Edinburgh Live that the offer for his forward, as well as one for centre-back Ryan Porteous from Millwall, was sensible enough for his club to consider.

I think they [the bids] were sensible and realistic enough for us to give them consideration. I don’t think they were disrespectful in any way, there will always be a value that a club believe is the correct one for assets.

They reflected how well these players have done this season. I think they were enough to get people’s attention, which is not a bad starting point.

The report says that should Nisbet leave the club, that another Sunderland target - Ross County forward Ross Stewart - will be a target for Ross and the Hibs manager has said he does have a plan B in place should that situation arise:

We believe that if we were in a situation where we lost players, we would have replacements ready to go that would still provide us with strength in the squad.

The longer it goes, the higher the risk that you don’t get to complete your back up plan and that is risky so the earlier the better.

I keep mentioning the club has came out this period in a reasonably healthy position, at least in the context of everything that’s going on and I think that has enabled them to continue to hold a relatively strong position in terms of what they feel is the right value of the players.

Photo by Callum Landells/Getty Images

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Ji finds new club

Former Sunderland striker Ji Dong-Won has left Mainz 05 to sign a loan deal with 2.Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Braunschweig.

The Korean international, who is now 29, had only played a handful of games for his parent club has joined the Lions as they attempt to move away from the relegation zone in the German second division.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Ji said he was happy to sign for his new club:

I am really pleased that the move to Braunschweig worked. I am very grateful for the chance to play at Eintracht and would like to use my skills to help the team achieve our goal at the end of the season.

Photo credit should read GRAHAM STUART/AFP via Getty Images