Target of Cats Cummings set to join Forest
AS Sunderland continue to take their time appointing a new manager, Nottingham Forest are set to sign one of their transfer targets.
Forest have had an offer accepted for Hibernian striker Jason Cummings and are said to be hopeful of pushing through a deal by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, the Black Cats are still managerless three weeks after the resignation of David Moyes.
Cummings was a player Moyes scouted in March with a view to signing him this summer, though whether he figures in the plans of any of the candidates to replace him is unclear.
Aberdeen’s Derek McInnes would be aware of the 21-year-old, who scored 19 goals in last season’s Scottish Championship.
McInnes was also thought to be interested in taking winger Jonny Hayes with him from Pittodrie, but Celtic appear to have moved in first on that one.
Sunderland have also been linked with a move for Cameron Jerome.
The proven Championship goalscorer is said to be interesting Middlesbrough, where he started his career.
McInnes is one of the candidates to succeed Moyes but the £1m compensation the Wearsiders would have to pay is an issue.
Former striker Kevin Phillips, Paul Lambert and Nigel Pearson are outof-work contenders, along with Burton Albion’s Nigel Clough and Preston North End’s Simon Grayson.
It is understood Sunderland are hoping to make an appointment this week.
The uncertainty at the Stadium of Light is compounded by reports a German consortium is interested in buying the club but has not yet started due diligence.
Sunderland sources have played down any such talk, but it persists anyway.
They have been frustratingly slow to appoint a new manager but are not alone in dragging their feet this summer.
Hull City’s Marco Silva, Leeds United’s Garry Monk and Crystal Palace’s Sam Allardyce all left in the same week as Moyes, who resigned on May 22. Leeds and Palace are still to select replacements, while Hull only appointed Leonid Slutsky last week.
Middlesbrough only confirmed Monk as their new manager on Friday.
Scunthorpe United’s Graham Alexander and Bury’s Lee Clarke both attributed the delay in Sunderland confirming pre-season fixtures against their sides to the managerial vacancy.
Eventually, though, the logjam had to be broken, with a slew of warm-up games announced last week.
A sixth, at Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone, was confirmed last night.
It completes a week-long minitour of Scotland which will also take in games against Hibernian and Livingston.
Before heading north of the border, the Black Cats have a five-day training camp in Austria, followed by the trip to Gigg Lane.
After the St Johnstone game on July 15 they play Bradford City, Scunthorpe, then most likely a highprofile game to mark the 20th anniversary of the Stadium of Light before the new Football League season kicks off on the weekend of August 4/5/6.
Traditionally the fixtures come out at the same time as those for the topflight but in recent years they have been staggered.
The Wearsiders will be presented with their programme a week on Wednesday. Sunderland players are then due to report back for pre-season training on June 29.