LOWER league starlet Dean Whitehead is expected to become Sunderland's third signing of the summer in the next 48 hours.

The young midfielder has been courted by Black Cats boss Mick McCarthy for the past few months and is now ready to put pen to paper.

Whitehead is out of contract at Oxford United, of the newly-named Coca-Cola League Two, and is thought to have agreed to move to the Stadium of Light.

As he is under 24, Sunderland will have to negotiate a compensation package with the U's and the issue will have to be settled through a tribunal. But McCarthy is keen to bolster his ranks and Whitehead is on the verge of sealing a dream move to Wearside.

When the deal is concluded it will be a blow to Oxford boss Graham Rix, who was desperate to keep hold of one of his prize assets. Rix, and the Kassam Stadium board, offered Whitehead much-improved terms but the lure of playing at the Stadium of Light has proved too good to turn down.

Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest and Reading have been among a clutch of clubs looking to sign the 22-year-old.

Sunderland have also signed Carl Robinson and Stephen Elliott this summer and McCarthy hopes to make a few more additions before the start of the campaign.

Mansfield's Liam Lawrence remains high on his list of targets.

The Sunderland manager is also determined to keep hold of Argentine Julio Arca - with Premiership new-boys West Brom preparing a £2.5m swoop for the player.

* Attack-minded defender Massimo Oddo is the latest name to have been added to Middlesbrough's list of potential signings this summer.

Oddo, on duty with Italy at Euro 2004, has been told he can leave Serie A giants Lazio and Boro boss Steve McClaren is continuing his search for a new right-back.

Dutchman Mario Melchiot remains McClaren's top target but the Chelsea man could turn his back on the Premiership and opt for a move to Spain.

Boro are preparing for that eventuality and, having ended talks with Danny Mills over a permanent switch from Leeds, Oddo could be the man to fit the bill.

The 29-year-old, also wanted at Bolton, has suggested he wants to stay with the Rome club but his future looks to be out of his hands.

Mills, meanwhile, has not ruled out a return to his first employers Norwich.

It is unlikely the Canaries, even following promotion to the Premiership, would meet his reported £40,000 wage demands. But Mills, who made 73 appearances for Norwich before moving to Charlton, said: "I will look at every possibility and, if Norwich came in with an acceptable offer I would be happy to play there."

* Newcastle's attempts to sign Chelsea defender Robert Huth have hit a brick wall.

Huth has been considered by Magpies boss Sir Bobby Robson as a summer signing. But new Blues boss Jose Mourinho is understood to have told the German he wants him to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Meanwhile, former Newcastle boss Arthur Cox has announced his retirement from the game.

The 64-year-old has enjoyed almost five decades in football and he spent the last three as right-hand man to Kevin Keegan at Manchester City. Cox was manager at St James' Park between 1980-84.

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