TRANSFER NEWS: Kyle Lafferty set to sign for Sunderland? Striker ‘has held talks at AOL’

Phil Parkinson may be about to strengthen his Sunderland strike-force with reports suggesting that Kyle Lafferty is in talks to sign for the club.

Lafferty is a free agent after leaving Sarpsborg 08 and Scottish newspaper the Scotsman claim the striker has held talks about a possible move to the Stadium of Light.

The report goes on to claim that Lafferty was at the Academy of Light on Tuesday to discuss a potential transfer, despite the former Rangers star previously stating his preference was a move back to Hearts:

My first option would be Hearts and I’ve said previously that I’d jump at the chance to go back.

I loved the time I had there, the fans were great with me and I have lots of friends there who I still keep in touch with. I’ve spoken with a few Hearts boys and had a few texts about what’s going on but everything is hypothetical as there has been no firm contact.

Should Lafferty sign for the club, he could become the third Northern Ireland international striker on the books, with Will Grigg already at the club and Burton Albion striker Liam Boyce strongly linked with a move over the past few days.