Chris Coleman expects to have a loan signing in place by Monday - with Chelsea’s Jake Clarke-Salter thought to be the man he is chasing.
Reports have suggested that the 20-year-old centre-back is the man Sunderland want and, while Coleman refused to confirm the identity of his target, he did let slip that he was involved in a game that had yet to kick-off this afternoon and Chelsea are due to play Norwich City at 5.30pm.
Coleman had hoped to have a new face in place ahead of today’s trip to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup but the deal was delayed when the player’s parent club said they may need to use him this weekend.
But it is likely to be only a temporary hitch, and the player is due to travel to Wearside tomorrow to complete his move.
“I’m hoping that, assuming no-one gets injured, we are going to be OK and the lad who should have been here yesterday will be here tomorrow,” said Coleman.
Asked if he would name the player, he said only: “They haven’t kicked off yet, so it wouldn’t be fair!”
Another player that has been linked with a loan move to Sunderland this month is Liverpool striker Ben Woodburn, who worked under Coleman with Wales.
But while there is definite interest in Woodburn on Sunderland’s part, he is not the player that Coleman has said the Black Cats are closing in on.