Premiership: Sunderland complete Bjorklund signing

Sunderland have completed the signing of Swedish international Joachim Bjorklund from Italian club Venezia for a fee of £1.5million (€2.46m).

The 30-year-old former Rangers and Valencia defender has agreed a four-year deal with manager Peter Reid.

But the Black Cats still await international clearance for the 75-times capped central defender to be eligible for tomorrow’s north east derby clash with Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light.

Reid said: ‘‘Joachim is a strong international-class defender who will give us the quality we need at the back and strengthen the squad, particularly while Emerson Thome is out injured.’’

Bjorklund, a former international team-mate of Sunderland midfielder Stefan Schwarz, is in contention for a place in the Sweden squad for this summer’s World Cup finals.