Transfer Tittle-Tattle: Sunderland linked with a move for highly-rated St Johnstone midfielder

Sunderland have been linked with St Johnstone star Ali McCann as Lee Johnson looks to revamp his midfield ahead of the new season.

The in-demand 21-year-old was a key player as The Saints did the Cup double in Scotland, and The Courier say Sunderland are the latest club to show interest in the Northern Ireland international.

The report claims St Johnstone rate McCann at the £2m mark and he has also been linked with moves to Stoke City, Hull City and Celtic. As rumours in him build, club chairman Steve Brown admitted to the BBC back in May that they will sell him, at the right price:

There’s been interest - Ali in particular, a Northern Ireland international. If the right offer comes along and a player wants to leave, which is another thing you have to take into consideration, then we will sell, but it will be at a price we are happy with.

McCann is the fourth St Johnstone player to be linked with a move to the Stadium of Light in recent weeks, following centre-back Jamie McCart, left-back Scott Tanser (who recently moved to St Mirren) and striker Guy Melamed (who is a free agent after his contract at McDiarmid Park expired).