Striker opens up about Sunderland future as former Cats midfielder signs new Charlton Athletic deal

Sunderland will face former midfielder Jonny Williams in League One next season after the midfielder signed a new one-year deal with Charlton Athletic.
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Charlton, relegated from the Championship, moved quickly to secure the midfielder to a new deal. The former Sunderland loanee has made 45 appearances for the club so far.

Williams told the club website: “I’m delighted to be staying.

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“I’ve loved my time at Charlton, I feel at home here and I’m looking forward to, hopefully, having a good season next year and doing what we can to get the team back to the Championship.

Benji Kimpioka.Benji Kimpioka.
Benji Kimpioka.

“Throughout the club, the players, the coaches, the staff behind the scene - It’s the culture of the club. Everyone gets on with everyone, and you can’t always say that in a football club. I’d never had that before.

“The players are true friends and real good people. That makes a big difference.

“That sort of thing will show on the pitch – you have players that will fight for each other and put their bodies on the line and that’s part of why we won promotion last time.”

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Meanwhile, striker Benji Kimpioka has been speaking about his future.

He has been offered a new deal by Sunderland but is yet to commit, with the promising youngster keen for more first team football.

Speaking to the Roker Report podcast, Kimpioka admitted his future remains up in the air.

Kimpioka said: “Obviously, I’ve said it many times, Sunderland is a club that I love and obviously as you know my contract is up at the club. Sunderland have offered a contract, which me and my family and my agent have been working on, we are still negotiating the contract, to discuss with my family, for myself what I reckon is the best for all of us."

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The striker added: “I spoke to the manager Phil, I can’t remember exactly how long ago it was we spoke, maybe I’d say a week or a bit longer than a week, maybe six, five, seven days I spoke to him personally. I’d say around a week to week thing maybe, last week I spoke to him, something like that.”

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