Josh Maja will not leave Sunderland, says Stewart Donald.
Joel Asoro is leaving Sunderland for Swansea City, as reported by BBC Sport, but Josh Maja – who is on the radar of Newcastle United, according to The Daily Mail – is staying.
That’s according to Sunderland owner Stewart Donald, who has made it clear on social networking site Twitter that Maja and his teammate Bali Mumba will stay at the League One club.
According to BBC Sport, Sunderland, who got relegated from the Championship at the end of last season, have accepted a £2 million offer from Welsh outfit Swansea for 19-year-old Sweden Under-21 international winger Asoro.
Sunderland owner Donald has defended the decision to sell the youngster at that price.
While discussing the potential departure of Asoro with Sunderland fans on Twitter, Donald wrote: “If he leaves – Thought I had done quite well with base price.
“He is a League 1 player with 1 year left. Played half a season. Has potential but so do all young players.
“Will haggle harder sorry guys if I’ve undersold him – I thought on balance all things considered a decent price.”
Donald has also said that Sunderland will not sell 19-year-old forward Maja and young midfielder Mumba in the summer transfer window.
Back in April, The Daily Mail claimed that Newcastle were monitoring Maja, as well as Asoro.
Donald wrote on Twitter when it was suggested that Maja and Mumba could leave: “They will stay. They want to be Sunderland players.”
Sunderland will be aiming to win League One next season and win automatic promotion back to the Championship.
Jack Ross’s side have been quite busy so far in the summer transfer window, as they have signed Tom Flanagan, Dylan McGeouch and Jon McLaughlin among other players.
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