DEREK McINNES will look to make Aberdeen midfielder Jonny Hayes his first signing as Sunderland manager if he swaps the North-East of Scotland for the North-East of England later this week.

McInnes is set to hold formal talks with the Sunderland hierarchy in the next few days as the Black Cats step up their search for David Moyes’ successor at the Stadium of Light.

The Aberdeen boss remains their preferred option, and while he publicly stated it would take “something special” to prise him away from Pittodrie in the wake of Saturday’s Scottish FA Cup final, he is understood to be keen to make the move to Wearside.

His spell at Bristol City ended messily despite his success in keeping the Robins in the Championship in his first season at Ashton Gate, and he is keen to complete some unfinished business by proving himself with Sunderland.

The Northern Echo:

MANAGERIAL CANDIDATE: Derek McInnes

If McInnes is installed in the managerial hot-seat at the Stadium of Light, he will find himself charged with the task of overseeing a radical rebuild.

Sunderland are set to lose ten players at either the end of their contract or completion of their loan deal, and Jermain Defoe is also guaranteed to leave because of a relegation release clause in the terms of his agreement.

Black Cats owner Ellis Short is determined to keep his summer spending to a minimum with Sunderland currently £110m in debt, but there will be money for a new manager to spend and McInnes will earmark a portion of it for Hayes.

The 29-year-old scored Aberdeen’s goal in Saturday’s Cup final defeat to Celtic, and was the SFL club’s Player of the Season as he claimed 11 goals and weighed in with 24 assists.

He was the subject of two failed bids from Cardiff City in the January transfer window, but is expected to move on this summer despite having recently signed a contract extension to 2019.

The Northern Echo:

OPENING GOAL: Jonny Hayes celebrates opening the scoring in Aberdeen's Scottish FA Cup final defeat to Celtic

Celtic have been linked with a possible move, and Birmingham boss Harry Redknapp was at Hampden Park on Saturday on a personal scouting mission, but McInnes’ close relationship with Hayes would put him in the driving seat if he was to find himself trying to lure the midfielder to Wearside.

Hayes started his career with Reading, and had spells at Leicester, Northampton, Cheltenham and MK Dons before moving to Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2009.

He has spent the last four years working with McInnes, and while his current manager was keen to play down the prospect of joining Sunderland in the aftermath of Saturday’s final, he was careful not to rule out a move to the Stadium of Light.

“I’ve said it often enough, I love working here,” said McInnes. “I think it’s a brilliant club, I feel at home here. It would take something special for me to want to leave.”

Financial considerations will be a factor in his final decision, with Sunderland set to at least treble his current contract, which is understood to be worth around £200,000-a-year. The Black Cats would also offer a huge bonus for winning promotion back to the Premier League next season.

Aberdeen are not in a position to compete with the Black Cats financially, and the Scottish club’s legendary centre-half Willie Miller admits it would be impossible to blame McInnes for wanting to further his career with Sunderland.

“If Derek decides to go then you have to respect that decision,” said Miller, who is a former Aberdeen manager and captain. “The lure of a move south is huge.

“Sunderland would be a challenge, and English clubs don’t come calling very often. If a club comes in, then he has to consider it. But I’m like other Aberdeen fans in that I hope he stays because he has done a fantastic job.”

Whoever succeeds Moyes will not be able to call on Defoe, although the England international insists his anticipated move to Bournemouth is not yet a done deal.

“There’s been a lot of speculation saying I’m going to this club and that club – particularly Bournemouth,” said Defoe. “But at the moment I’m just trying to keep my head down and focus on England with two games coming up (against Scotland and France).

“I want to get my head down, get England out of the way, and then sit down with my family and decide what I really want to do. We will see what happens.”