Benjamin Kimpioka could be Sunderland’s secret weapon this season

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After two relegations in a row, Sunderland are looking to bounce back next season in League One. They have a new manager, a new owner and plenty of new faces among the first-team squad. One of the new names in the first-team picture is Benjamin Kimpioka.

The exciting winger scored a great goal against Hartlepool in a recent friendly and excited fans with his brilliant and extravagant performance.

He is not a new signing, but an academy graduate who joined Sunderland in the spring of 2016. Following a successful trial and subsequent visits, the summer previous Sunderland snapped up Kimpioka on his first scholarship deal in April 2016 from the academy at IK Sirius.

“I look forward to going over and settling in Sunderland to focus and do what I’m passionate about, to play football.

“No matter how it goes, I’m grateful and see this as an experience for life,”

– Benjamin Kimpioka after signing for Sunderland 

Capable of playing through the middle but more comfortable as a winger he had a fine season for Sunderland’s under-18s last season – scoring 10 and assisting three goals in 12 appearances.

That sort of form has seen him moved into the first-team for pre-season and he seemingly appears to have no plans of heading back down.

For Sunderland, it would be perfect if the 18-year-old was now ready to run with the first-team. It would add another dimension in Sunderland’s currently mediocre attacking options and give fans a breath of fresh air.

An under the radar signing from April 2016, when Sunderland started their demise down the football ladder, could end up being the surprise package in their redemption.

That would be quite the tale.