SUNDERLAND have spoken to Lee Johnson about their vacant head coach position - and are hoping to appoint the former Bristol City boss within the next 24 hours.

The Black Cats have confirmed Kristjaan Speakman as their new sporting director, with the 41-year-old moving from Birmingham City.

Johnson has emerged as the Black Cats' preferred option to work with Speakman as head coach after a week in which they have spoken to a number of different figures.

Gus Poyet, Danny Cowley and Paul Cook have also featured on Sunderland's shortlist, but Johnson, who left Bristol City in July, is now the club's firm preferred option.

Poyet pulled out of the race on Tuesday afternoon, while Cowley is understood to be wanting more control over transfer matters than the Sunderland hierarchy are wanting to give.

Sunderland are wanting to move towards more of a continental model, with Speakman's appointment as sporting director a key part of that process.

In a statement to confirm the former Birmingham academy boss' appointment Sunderland described his role as leading the club's "overall football programme, including player identification, development and acquisitions across the first team and academy".

Working alongside chief executive Jim Rodwell, he will "take primary responsibility for reviewing and implementing new strategies to develop the club’s footballing infrastructure, with an emphasis on data analytics and innovation, and providing a clear pathway from the younger age groups to the first team".

Speakman started his coaching career with Derby's academy, and moved to Birmingham in 2006, where he was promoted to the role of academy director in 2018.

Reflecting on his appointment at Sunderland, he said: "I have been tasked with delivering a best-in-class player development model from the academy through to the senior squad and given a realistic timeframe and budget with which to do so. It is an absolute honour to have been invited to do this at one of England’s biggest clubs.

"The blueprint for the future and the ambition to create a sustainable structure with a clear identity is one I will work diligently and passionately to bring to fruition for Sunderland fans. I’m grateful for the autonomy granted me by the ownership group to pursue this plan and create something we can all be proud of.

"We understand the frustration of the present circumstances and whilst we seek patience and continued support for the longer-term objectives, we are absolutely determined to fix key issues in the short term to establish a winning team. The task of appointing a head coach who is both aligned to the overall plan and capable of impacting the team’s performance and style in the immediate weeks and months is a priority above all else.

"I fully understand the potential of the football club and I’m looking forward to working collectively with staff, players and fans to restore the club to its rightful place in the Premier League. There’s no doubt about the size of the task ahead of us and the need to be pragmatic in our approach, but we all share the same dream and the work starts now to make this a reality."