Sunderland Hopeful of Nabbing Aston Villa Star on Loan Before Transfer Window Closes

According to Sky Sports Keith Downie, Sunderland remain in talks to sign Ross McCormack and hope to finalize a loan deal before the end of the window.

The report also suggests that a deal won't be done today and that it could go down to the final hours of the window.

Steve Bruce confirmed earlier in the window that Ross McCormack could leave the club, in order to try and ensure Aston Villa meet the Financial Fair Play regulations, after making some big signings of their own:

"We still haven’t hit the target so I would still envisage there has to be one or two who still move on," claimed Bruce to the Express and Star.

"I think that in any case for the sake of the squad and the sake of them, it is the right thing.

“Gary Gardner, for example, Ross McCormack, people like that."

Sunderland are keen on a loan deal for the Scottish striker after missing out on Bournemouth's Max Gradel, but Villa are thought to be waiting on reinforcements before sanctioning any departments, hence why the move is being dragged out.

Star striker Jonathan Kodjia is currently out with injury, such that Bruce wants more attacking options at his disposal, other than Gabby Agbonlahor and Scott Hogan. McCormack famously fell out with Steve Bruce a few seasons ago due to not turning up for training, the reasoning for which he claimed was that his gates were stuck.

As a result he was sent out on loan for the second half of last season to Nottingham Forest. Over that whole season the 31-year-old scored four times in 27 appearances.

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Villa will be looking to tie up a deal for West Ham's Robert Snodgrass, before allowing McCormack to leave. As a result Sunderland fans may have a nervous wait to see if they can get the loan signing over the line before tomorrow's deadline.