'Medical completed' - £3.3m Sunderland target's transfer future becomes clear after Olympiacos bid

Sunderland look set to miss out on another transfer target after the news that Celtic winger Luis Palma has completed a medical ahead of a loan move to Olympiacos.

Sunderland were thought to be one of several Championship clubs interested in a deal for the tricky winger with the Honduras international keen on a move away from the Hoops this month as he looks to secure regular first-team football elsewhere.

However, a new report from Sky Sports has stated that Palma is in Greece for a medical: “It’s understood the Honduras international is on his way to Greece to finalise the move, before their transfer deadline tonight. The clubs have agreed a loan deal until the end of the season, with an option to buy for £3.3m.”

Palma was supposed to move to Spanish side Rayo Vallecano earlier this window. However, the club was hit with a transfer ban, which caused the deal to fall through at the last minute. Sunderland are in need of attacking reinforcements before the end of the window and have seen Brighton bid for young winger Tommy Watson.

Sources have indicated that a deal is at this stage considered unlikely, as there is a considerable gap in the respective valuations. Sunderland’s position is complicated by the fact that Watson only has 18 months left on his current deal, and so they could be forced into a sale if talks on an extension do not progress.

However, the club view is thought to be that he has an important role to play between now and the end of the campaign and that a sale right now does not benefit the club unless the fee is huge. At the moment, that is not the case.

Le Bris hinted at that view when asked about Watson’s status on Friday, making clear that he is an important part of his plans. Sunderland were already hoping to make at least one attacking addition before the deadline even before Brighton’s interest in Watson was accounted for. While currently sidelined through injury, Watson is thought to be around ten days from making a return to full training.

"If Tommy did leave, we have to replace him,” Le Bris said. “We need two wingers on each flank, this is a better balance. Enzo can play here but only because we don't have others available at the moment.

"I think Tommy started a few games before his injury so he was a new player in our team, and he did well. But it's always the case that when a new player starts, it's a new challenge. When you have to play 10, 15 games it is a different dynamic and a different challenge. He has started very, very well but to be a starter for a long period - this is different. We weren't able to assess this fully because of the injury.

“But there is no doubt that he has very good potential and is a very good player. And he fits very well our style of play, we feed our wingers and support them in taking risks in 1-v-1 situations. If they fail, we say, 'try again'. His profile is very good for this, but he has only played a few games.”