Report: Huddlestone Close To Sunderland Move?

Tom Huddlestone is a name that Sunderland have been consistently linked with for the last few years, in fact he's up there with Charles N'Zogbia, Robbie Keane and Aiden McGeady as players who are contractually obliged to be linked with us during every transfer window.

Could this time be different though?

Both the Sunderland Echo and the Evening Standard are reporting that he's on the verge of joining Di Canio's revolution, with both papers believing a fee has been agreed with Tottenham and the latter suggesting the fee is £5m.

Huddlestone, who is still only 26, is reported to be on £40,000 per week, an amount that it's believed could be an obstacle to any deal, as it's thought Sunderland are unwilling to match that amount and he would have to take a pay cut to push through a deal.

There are also concerns about his ability to pass a medical, with an ankle injury he suffered in 2011 keeping him out of action for 18 months and requiring surgery on his ankle three times. He was all set for a loan deal to Stoke City a year ago before concerns over his ankle injury forced Stoke to withdraw from the transfer.

He did play 20 times in the Premier League for Spurs last season, with a further 8 games in the cups, but was mainly used as a squad player and spoke of his frustration with the lack of playing time after recovering from injury;

At times, you think you might need to move ...if you don't play for a few months, especially.

I am 26 now. I missed a year to 18 months through injury. You just want to play every game and if that opportunity is not at Tottenham, then I will have to look elsewhere.

It has been difficult but probably not as difficult as last year. This year, I had a run in the team and we were doing fairly well.

It has been a frustrating few months. Scotty [Parker] has been back and fit, he has played a few games and Mousa [Dembele] has been excellent since he has come in [last August]. It's just a case of biding your time.

With the possible deal for Huddlestone bound to be complicated by his wages and injury record, don't expect a quick resolution to what is likely to be a drawn out and problematic transfer.