SUNDERLAND are resigned to missing out on Mateo Bajamich, with the Argentinian forward set to join MLS side Houston Dynamo.

The Black Cats tabled a £500,000 bid for Bajamich last week, and the 21-year-old’s current employers at Argentinian side Instituto Cordoba are understood to have been willing to accept the Wearsiders’ offer.

However, Houston Dynamo made an approach of their own, with reports in the US claiming they will pay an initial fee of £500,000, with the potential for the price to rise to £1m, but will allow Instituto to retain a 20 per cent stake in the player.

Bajamich has expressed a preference for a move to the United States instead of a switch to Sunderland, and with the youngster’s representatives having held talks with Houston officials over the weekend, confirmation of his move to the MLS is expected later this week.

“The transfer of Mateo Bajamich to Houston Dynamo is advanced,” said Instituto vice-president Mariano Carbonari. “The club’s lawyers are working to not leave any edge that could harm the Institute or Mateo in the future.”

Sunderland boss Phil Parkinson is not too concerned at missing out on a deal as he added Danny Graham to his attacking ranks last week and has signed Aiden O’Brien earlier in the summer.

Ideally, he would like to add another forward player before the transfer window closes next month, but he is already close to the budgetary limits laid out by the new salary-cap regulations. Bajamich’s transfer would have been especially attractive because, as an Under-21 player, the South American’s wages would have been excluded from salary-cap calculations.

Sunderland kicked off the new League One season in frustrating fashion at the weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Bristol Rovers.