SUNDERLAND are hoping to be able to confirm Derek McInnes as their new manager within the next 48 hours after making a formal approach to the Scotsman’s current club, Aberdeen.

The Black Cats’ managerial search has cranked back into action today after McInnes returned from a family holiday in the United States.

Sunderland officials are keen to have David Moyes’ successor in position by the end of the week, with McInnes now firmly established as their preferred option.

Aberdeen officials have been informed of Sunderland’s interest in their manager, and the Pittodrie club are understood to have called a board meeting for this afternoon to discuss their next move.

Scottish sources claim the Aberdeen hierarchy accept they will not be able to stand in McInnes’ way, with the 45-year-old keen to hold formal talks with Sunderland chief executive Martin Bain.

However, Aberdeen’s board will hold out for the maximum possible compensation, with McInnes, who is currently understood to be earning around £700,000-a-year in the SPL, still having two years of his contract to run. As  a result, it is likely to cost Sunderland at least £1.2m to buy their number one target out of his current deal.

McInnes is a former midfielder who enjoyed successful playing spells at West Brom, Dundee United, Millwall and St Johnstone.

He cut his managerial teeth at St Johnstone, before moving into the Championship to manage Bristol City in 2011. He spent just over a year at Ashton Gate, leading them to safety from the foot of the table in the first season, but failing to achieve similar results in his second campaign.

He returned to Scotland to take over at Aberdeen, and led his current employers to a second-place finish in the SPL last season as well as the final of the Scottish FA Cup.

If he does take over at the Stadium of Light, he will not be able to call on the services of Jordan Pickford, with Sunderland having agreed a £30m fee for the goalkeeper with Everton earlier today.