Sunderland 'pull out' of free transfer move as deal for Liverpool defender collapses - reports

It was suggested earlier this week that the Black Cats were closing in on the Scottish left-back in what would have been a significant addition, given Sunderland have played much of pre-season without a senior player in that position.

But the Daily Mail now claim that the move is off after the Wearsiders pulled out of talks.

Their report suggests that Liverpool were set sanction a free transfer move to Sunderland, with a sell-on clause inserted into the deal.

It now seems, however, that the League One side have opted against the deal and will instead pursue other targets.

Speaking on Tuesday, after reports that a deal for Gallacher was imminent surfaced, head coach Lee Johnson said that he was simply one of a number of options that the club were considering.

"I've seen the media reports, we know of him [Gallacher]," he said.

"He's a player on a list of ten or twelve options.

"We always want two for every position, and the plan is always to go in with probably 20 senior players and maybe four of the better younger ones to supplement that.

"It's a long season and we saw how much those injuries affected us.

"We're in the market, and we'll see what happens.

"Sometimes these things can take a week, two weeks, sometimes they drop in a day.

"We're certainly in the mix for a few and depending on what has happened behind the scenes today, we'll see.

"Watch this space."

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