According to reliable journalist James Hunter, Sunderland are now in pole position to sign Arsenal defender Daniel Ballard.
The Lowdown: Burnley move breaks down
A product of the Gunners youth system, the 22-year-old had recently come close to signing for Burnley and even made the trip to Lancashire to put pen to paper on a deal with Vincent Kompanyās Clarets, but the move broke down at the last minute due to not being able to agree personal terms.
And the Black Cats, alongside Championship rivals Blackpool and Millwall, the two clubs where the centre-back had been on loan, were all said to be interested in securing his services.
With the news that the Stevenage-born talent is officially back on the market, it now sounds as if the Stadium of Light outfit are intensifying their efforts in a bid to try and fend off their competitors.
The Latest: Sunderland in pole position
In an article written for ChronicleLive, Hunter claims that Sunderland are now āleading the raceā for Ballard, with the club having āstepped up their interestā following Burnleyās setback.
The source further states that whilst the deal is ānot yet doneā, the hierarchy āremain hopefulā that they can convince him to complete the move to Wearside.
The Verdict: Rock at the back
Alex Neil will now be looking to bolster his ranks with some new additions as he revamps his squad ahead of Sunderlandās long-awaited return to the second tier, and Ballard would be an impressive signing to get over the line.
The Northern Ireland international, whoās recently been dubbed an āoutstandingā potential signing by journalist Josh Bunting, was an absolute rock at the back for Millwall last season, winning 3.9 of his aerial duels and averaging 3.4 clearances per league 90 minutes, via WhoScored.
Once a teammate of the Black Catsā Elliot Embleton when they were both on loan together at Bloomfield Road, a reunion for the duo could soon be on the cards in the north east.
