Sunderland AFC transfer news: Major transfer update provided on £200k-rated Cats, Celtic, Burnley and Ipswich Town target

Reports last week stated that Sunderland were set to step up their interest in the Linfield man, with the defender available for around £200k.

The Northern Ireland youth international is set to leave the Blues next month with Linfield boss David Healy commenting on the situation.

Lincoln City have reportedly tabled a bid for the highly-rated 19-year-old with Burnley and Ipswich Town also said to be interested.

Linfield rejected a number of cash offers that were thought to be in excess of £100,000 for the right-back during the summer.

Celtic were also linked with a deal for Hume last summer but a recent report in the Belfast Telegraph stated that Sunderland are ‘primed to make their move’ during the January window.

However, Steven Beacom – a sports journalist in Northern Ireland – has provided a further update on Hume’s future.

On Twitter, he said: “Been asked for NIFL transfer news so... Linfield/Larne chasing young Rangers ace Chris McKee on loan, Glentoran lead race for Portadown forward Lee Bonis but to go ahead it'll cost them hefty fee + loan players & Trai Hume played final game for Blues 2day before move to England!”

Linfield boss and former Sunderland man Healy recently admitted that it was highly unlikely teenage defender Trai Hume would still be a Blues player come the end of January.

Asked if there’s a chance the versatile defender won’t be at Linfield after January, Healy replied: “I would imagine so if somebody is going to agree terms with the football club.”

He continued: “We always had huge belief in Trai and since he came back he has done everything we expected and everything we had hoped.

“I’m on record before saying I was shocked - absolutely shocked - that he didn’t get an opportunity to go across the water when he was younger.

"Others went in his age group but it gave us the opportunity to work with him and he’s probably one of the youngest players we signed on a professional contract.

“Trai is only going to get better, he’s getting stronger, he’s getting fitter and if he can add a little bit more quality in the final third the sky’s the limit for him.”

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