Sunderland boss outlines the next steps for youngster Benji Kimpioka

Kimpioka finished last season on loan at Torquay United, who lost to Hartlepool United in the National League play-off final.

He has not had any competitive action in the first team during the current campaign, and featured for the U23s as they began their league campaign with a 4-3 defeat to Furlham on Monday night.

Johnson says it is important the 21-year-old gets regular minutes through the campaign.

"I think another loan would be good for Benji," he said.

"I think he is caught in that catch-22 situation a little bit.

"He's played an awful lot of U23 football, and he's a Sweden U21 international and he's got that prestige which comes with that.

"Bless him, he missed a big chunk of last season with injury, nigh on nine months I think, and you can never underestimate the impact of that lost time.

"It takes time to build that development back up again.

"He's quite unique in the way he plays, it's very difficult for defenders to pin him down to a particular position or a particular movement, which makes him dangerous.

"I think he's got mega bucks to learn and the only way we can really do that with these guys is to get them those 25-games somehow.

"So if they're further ahead than the U23s but not quite first team, that's why you have the loan programme in place.

"We probably have two or three in that mould."

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