TRANSFER UPDATE: One out, two in as Chris Coleman’s late Sunderland shopping spree commences

Reports following Birmingham's thrashing of Sunderland suggest that a permanent deal for Leeds goalkeeper Andy Longeran and a loan move Liverpool midfielder Ovie Ejaria are close, whilst Didier Ndong looks likely to leave to join up with Watford on loan.

In his post-match press conference Coleman explained a loan move for Ndong could potentially become permanent in the summer, depending on game time.

Watford have reportedly improved their initial offer to sign the 23-year-old Gabon international, who cost Sunderland a club record transfer fee of £13.6 million in 2016.

Speaking after the game, the Sunderland manager said:

Didier Ndong is going to Watford. He’s made it clear he wants to be back in the Premier League, and the deal suited us in the end.

There’s a possibility that it could become permanent, there are stipulations in the contract with game-time, but at the moment it is not a done deal that he won’t be coming back.

We shouldn’t worry too much about losing him because we haven’t really had him all season due to certain issues.

We will be bringing one in to replace him, the boy from Liverpool Ovie Ejaria is coming to us until the end of the season, which I am very excited about. He’s a good player and a good addition to the squad.

And there’s another one that is not quite there yet - there is still a bit of a way to go, so it’s tough for me to name names because it is not over the line.

That said, hopefully over the next 24 hours, we need on top of that another face, too, with a bit of experience hopefully.

It has been a brutal transfer window for us but, in 24 hours if we get another two or three, then it will have been a good one for us, also.

Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Ejaria is a relatively unknown quantity with just eight senior appearances for his parent club, Liverpool. London-born Ejaria played in Arsenal's youth setup before signing for the Scousers in the summer of 2014. The 20-year-old debuted in the Premier League in November, coming on as a substitute in his side’s 6–1 thrashing of Watford.

Longeran may prove to be a sensible addition following horror shows this season from Robbin Ruiter and Jason Steele, should Sunderland be able to finalise the deal.

The former Fulham stopper, 34, made his debut under David Moyes at Preston as a 16-year-old in a 2000, going onto win the Young Player Of The Year for the 2000–01 season.

The 6ft 4in stopper was re-signed by previous club Leeds in August 2017 following Robert Green's departure, making his second debut for the Whites on September 19th in a Carabao Cup tie against Premier League side Burnley. He proved to be the match winner, saving a penalty from James Tarkowski in a shoot-out victory following a 2–2 draw.

Leeds United manager Thomas Christiansen said tonight that goalkeeper Lonergan would be leaving Elland Road to join the Black Cats on a free transfer.

However, Coleman says that move has not yet been finalised:

That’s not there yet. There are one or two things that we need to look at and discuss, so that’s not yet 100 per cent cemented.

Lonergan has appeared in the Championship seven times this season.