Sunderland are on the verge of losing two highly-rated youngsters with Bali Mumba heading to Norwich City and Benji Kimpioka also departing, according to reports from the North East.
When the League One season was brought to a premature conclusion earlier this month, The Black Cats’ hopes of keeping hold of many a star player went up in smoke.
Goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin looks destined to join Blackburn Rovers while Luke O’Nien, Chris Maguire, Duncan Watmore and others are all now facing an increasingly uncertain future at the Stadium of Light.
And, just to rub salt into the wounds, Sunderland will now be forced to bid farewell to a pair of highly-rated teenagers.
The Chronicle claims that 18-year-old Mumba, a player who had been identified as an exciting option at wing-back by Black Cats coach Steve Parkin, is set to join Norwich after making just five league appearances for the club.
The Premier League strugglers are set to offer an initial £500,000, with Sunderland losing another academy graduate 18 months after top scorer Josh Maja headed across the Channel.
20-year-old Kimpioka is in a slightly different position.
He is out of contract in two weeks’ time and, according to the Northern Echo, he will not be offered fresh terms after months of disagreements between the club and his representatives.
Kimpioka could be set to re-join Swedish outfit IK Sirius, four years after he left the club to join Sunderland.
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