Sunderland close in on deal for Reading striker Marc McNulty

The Reading striker is expected to be confirmed as a Sunderland player later today, after Lee Bowyer revealed on Tuesday night that the Black Cats had beaten Charlton Athletic to a deal.

McNulty is a 26-year-old Scottish striker who was linked with a move to Suderland in January, but eventually joined Hibernian on loan.

He made an impression there, scoring seven goals in fifteen league matches and making his international debut in the process.

Hibs boss Paul Heckingbottom had been to keep him in Edinburgh but recently admitted that a deal was out of reach.

“We can’t get it done at the minute,” he said.

“It’ll cost too much money. We’re not in a position to do it because either we’ve not got enough finance or what they’re asking is too much.

“If either of those change then maybe.”

McNulty joined Reading on a four-year deal last summer after a prolific season with Coventry City, scoring 28 goals to fire them into League One.

With Reading boss Jose Gomes needing to offload players in order to fund further recruitment, McNulty was one of a number of players told not to report back for pre-season training.Former Sunderland midfielder David Meyler was another.

“All of them were very important last season," Gomes told Get Reading.

"They were very important for me.

"They showed they are really top professionals.

"I spoke with all of them at the end of the season, talking about the plans and the club's ideas.

"We must do something, like everybody knows with the financial issues, so the club is respecting them.

"After all this time [since the end of the season] nothing has happened.

"We haven't seen too many movements in the Championship clubs but we are expecting in this couple of weeks we can find - and also their agents and themselves - they can find the solutions for their career."

McNulty’s arrival would give Jack Ross some welcome competition for places up front.

Will Grigg and Charlie Wyke have played a full part in the pre-season campaign so far, though both are yet to get off the mark.