Sunderland set to announce the signing of central defender Danny Batth from Stoke City

Sunderland are set to confirm the signing of Stoke City’s experienced centre-back Daniel Batth on a permanent deal.

The 31-year-old’s Stoke contract was due to expire in the summer, and had been pushed down the pecking order following the arrival of Phil Jagielka and Manchester City loanee Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

He had started 12 games for Stoke in all competitions this season, with 9 of those coming in consecutive league games before the transfer window opened, and he has been a regular starter during his time at the Bet365 Stadium.

The 6’3” central defender will add much-needed aerial ability to a backline that has looked particularly weak on crosses this season, and can also provide an attacking threat at set-pieces.

Although the majority of Batth’s career has been in the Championship, he has had previous success in League One, being promoted in both the 2011-12 season during a loan spell with Sheffield Wednesday and in 2013-14 season with Wolverhampton Wanderers, in which he was also named in the League One team of the season.