SUNDERLAND’S long-running pursuit of Charles N’Zogbia will finally come to an end in the next 24 hours when the Wigan Athletic winger completes a £9.5m move to Aston Villa.

N’Zogbia is expected to discuss personal terms with Villa officials later today after Wigan chairman Dave Whelan finally accepted the Midlands club’s latest offer for his services yesterday.

The proposed move to Villa Park will draw a line under Sunderland’s long-standing interest in the left winger, who has been one of Steve Bruce’s leading targets in the last three transfer windows.

Bruce has held a number of conversations with Wigan officials since swapping the DW Stadium for the Stadium of Light, but has consistently refused to match the Lancashire club’s valuation of N’Zogbia, who has recently entered the final year of his current deal.

Sunderland also balked at the Frenchman’s wage demands of around £65,000-a-week, and while Bruce had hoped a compromise might have been possible as recently as a fortnight ago, Villa’s willingness to invest a significant proportion of the fee received for Stewart Downing earlier this month has proved decisive.

“The possibility to play for Villa is something that I would like,” said N’Zogbia, in an interview with French radio station RMC Sport. “I would be happy because they have greater aspirations than Wigan and the challenge interests me.”

While Bruce has made a number of successful forays into the transfer market this summer, his failure to sign an orthodox left midfielder means his squad still has a slightly unbalanced look.

New signing David Vaughan started on the left-hand side in Saturday’s goalless draw with Borussia Monchengladbach, but the Wales international has already spoken publicly of his desire to fill a central role this season rather than be shuffled on to the flank.

Kieran Richardson and Steed Malbranque are alternative options on the left, but neither is a natural winger and both have struggled to make the position their own in the past.

Leeds United wideman Max Gradel is an alternative transfer target, but while Bruce has an interest in the Ivory Coast international, his lack of Premier League experience is understood to be a cause of concern.

Manchester City’s Adam Johnson is also on Sunderland’s radar, but it remains to be seen whether Roberto Mancini will be willing to loan out the former Middlesbrough midfielder.

Loans formed an integral part of the Black Cats’ planning last season, with Bruce signing six players on short-term contracts.

The Sunderland boss has refused to rule out more loan arrangements, with Danny Welbeck firmly in his sights once again.

Bruce will approach Sir Alex Ferguson before the start of the season in the hope of persuading the Manchester United boss to allow Welbeck to move to the Stadium of Light for the second season in succession.

However, Welbeck, who is currently touring the United States with United, is hoping to use Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere as his inspiration as he attempts to break into the reigning Premier League champions’ first team.

“I am really happy to be back (at Man United),” he said. “The time at Sunderland has benefited me massively.

“It was a different part of my career. I went there as a boy and came back as a man. I am really happy with the way things went. I am always looking to improve.

“Jack Wilshere is a prime example of how things work. He went to Bolton and did really well, then he has gone back to Arsenal and kicked on.

“It is something quite a few of the young boys look at him and think, if he can do it, so can we.”

Meanwhile, Craig Gordon has held on to Sunderland’s number one shirt despite dropping to third position in the club’s goalkeeping pecking order.

The Black Cats revealed their goalkeeping squad numbers for the new campaign yesterday, with Gordon filling the number one slot even though he is effectively available to the highest bidder.

New signing Keiren Westwood, who will be involved in tomorrow’s friendly at Kilmarnock, will wear number 20, Simon Mignolet is number 22 and Trevor Carson takes possession of the number 24 shirt.