Sunderland transfer news: Black Cats 'battling' Wycombe Wanderers and Salford City for AFC Wimbledon full-back Paul Osew

Wycombe Wanderers, Sunderland and Salford City are all keeping tabs on the defender, report the Daily Telegraph, with a possible six-month loan deal on the cards.

The 20-year-old has played in the Football League Trophy this season. He wasn’t involved in the AFC Wimbledon matchday squad for the 3-0 defeat to Sunderland at the weekend.

Salary cap limitations mean that Sunderland are likely to next look at the loan market, with players under the age of 21 exempt from the restrictions.

Johnson has been utilising his contacts at Premier League academies, having enjoyed lots of success with Bristol City through this approach.

He told The Echo the club were 'in the mix' for their preferred targets.

While at this stage arrivals look more likely in the latter stages of the window, Johnson said that was something which could quickly change.

"We're in the mix," Johnson said.

"These things can seem a long way off but the landscape quickly changes and all of a sudden someone is on their way for a medical.

"There are players who are aware of our interest, there's agents and clubs aware of our interest.

"Whether or not we can get them over the line is probably out of my hands, I'd say I'm more talent ID in the process here, than anything else.

"It's important that we bring the right personalities in, as well as the right footballing attributes, because we're trying to build a culture here as well as a winning football team."

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