St Johnstone are set to sign former Sunderland wonderkid Benjamin Mbunga Kimpioka.
The 24-year-old Swedish attacker has recently been on loan from AIK with FC Luzern in Switzerland but his parent club are happy for him to secure a permanent transfer.
And Courier Sport understands that Saints have agreed a deal to bring him back to Britain.
If international clearance comes through in time he could even feature against Dundee on Tuesday.
Kimpioka, a fast and strong forward who can play through the middle or out wide on both flanks, spent six years with Sunderland.
He was signed at 16 and regarded at the time as one of the hottest youth prospects at the Wearside club.
At one stage Arsenal were linked with a big money move.
Jack Ross gave him a first team chance at just 18 after watching Kimpioka score seven goals in two games for Sunderland’s under-23s.
He started out in Sweden as a right-back but was converted into a forward because of his speed.
First team breakthrough
In 2018/19 Kimpioka made eight appearances for the Sunderland first team, scoring twice in the Football League Trophy.
The following campaign he grabbed a last minute equaliser against Coventry City in League One.
Short loans to Torquay and Southend followed before returning to Sunderland, where he made his final appearance in English league football and scored his final goal – in a 5-0 Hogmanay, 2021 thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday.
In March, 2022, Kimpioka returned home to join AIK in the Swedish top flight and a year ago he was loaned to FC Luzern.
He was under contract with AIK until December, 2024 but they decided to allow the former Swedish under-21 international to leave on a free transfer.
Kerr Smith’s loan deal from Aston Villa should be confirmed in time to enable him to feature at Dens but that won’t be the end of Saints’ January transfer business.
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