Sunderland’s move for goalkeeper edges closer - terms agreed as he’s set to arrive for medical

Sunderland’s pursuit of Scotland international goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin moved a step closer at the end of this week, and with terms between the club and the recently-released free agent agreed he will now head to Wearside to put the final touches to his deal and undergo a medical examination.

McLaughlin is thought to have turned down a number of offers from Championship clubs, and also apparently rejected the chance of experiencing Champions League football with Azerbaijani champions Qarabağ FK.

He’s highly experienced, particularly in the lower leagues, and was the number one choice at both Bradford City and Burton Albion earlier in his career.

Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

After leaving Nigel Clough’s side in the summer of 2017, he joined up with hometown club Heart of Midlothian following a trial and became the surprise package in the Scottish Premiership last season, earning himself international recognition with Scotland in their game with Mexico just a few weeks back.

McLaughlin has spoken this weekend about how his chances of finding a new club are progressing, and he admitted that it appears that things are moving closer:

It has been a crazy couple of days with all kinds of things going back and forth. There actually wasn’t a lot of contact to start with — and now everything has kind of come to a head.

Going away with Scotland at the end of the season meant I have only really had a couple of weeks. So my fitness was never going to be a problem. It was just a case of waiting to see what was out there.

Now clubs are starting to come back in and make decisions and things are starting to happen. And I am very hopeful of getting something sorted out in the near future.

Roker Report confirmed with a club source that McLaughlin is indeed close to a move to the club, and he’ll join up with fellow countryman Jack Ross in order to provide competition between the sticks ahead of next season once he passes a medical and signs upon the dotted line.