SUNDERLAND and Newcastle United are being kept informed about the future of Micah Richards – despite the uncertainty surrounding the Tyne-Wear rivals’ Premier League status.

The 26-year-old defender is out of contract at Manchester City at the end of next month when he will be available as a free agent following the end of his season long loan to Fiorentina.

While the Wetherby-born defender is keeping his options open and has not completely ruled out staying abroad, it is understood he is interested to hear what interest there is back in the English top-flight.

Both Sunderland and Newcastle are understood to have had tentative discussions with the players’ representatives but neither are in a position to make a firm offer for his services until it has been determined what division they will be in next season.

Sunderland’s sporting director Lee Congerton has come up with a list of possible transfer targets for the summer if Dick Advocaat can safeguard the club’s Premier League future in the remaining four games. Those would have to change significantly if relegation did fall on the Stadium of Light.

The doubts still hanging around Wearside and Tyneside mean that other interested clubs could take advantage and his former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has suggested he will be willing to have him under his wing again at Inter Milan.

In moving to Fiorentina last summer he showed he was happy to take a pay cut on his reputed £65,000-a-week wage just to play first team football more regularly and he would have to do that again if he was tempted by Sunderland or Newcastle. West Ham United, though, are also interested along with Everton.

He is determined to force his way back in to England reckoning having won the last of his 13 caps against Holland at Wembley in February 2012 and has performed solidly in Serie A this season with Fiorentina.

Sunderland have been short of defensive quality this season and that has been identified as an area in need of urgent address in the summer regardless of what division they are playing come August.

Options could be further reduced if Wes Brown, as many expect, departs at the end of his contract next but there is still a chance that he could play again before he leaves.

The 35-year-old played for the Under-21s against Everton on Monday when he stepped up his recovery from a knee problem. He has not played since March but is hopeful of figuring against Everton, Leicester, Arsenal or Chelsea.

He said: "It was a positive 45 minutes and the more players we get back for the remaining four games the better. It is very important because we have some very big games coming up. Personally it is just nice to be back playing and I can't wait to get back out there.”

Sunderland are still a point off safety, but have a game in hand on their relegation rivals albeit against the in-form Gunners. Advocaat, who is monitoring John O’Shea’s hamstring complaint, wants to have as many of his senior players available as he can and also has £12m striker Steven Fletcher fit again.

Fletcher is in contention to face Everton at Goodison Park after recovering from a recurrence of a previous ankle injury. He is unlikely to start, though, because of Danny Graham’s performances against Stoke and Southampton.

Former Sunderland boss Gus Poyet, meanwhile, has hinted that he could be ready to take on a role outside of England after his Wearside frustrations. Speaking to Italian radio he was not ruling anything out.

The Uruguayan said: “I don’t know anything about my future. My family would prefer to stay in England but there aren’t many options in the Premier League. That’s why I’m now open to the rest of Europe. Italy? Why not, I follow that league closely.”