SUNDERLAND are increasingly confident of being able to tie up a deal for Arsenal youngster Ryan Alebiosu ahead of Tuesday evening’s transfer deadline, with Will Grigg poised to leave Wearside to join Doncaster Rovers.

While the bulk of his transfer work is complete, Lee Johnson remains keen to recruit another full-back in the next 72 hours, with talks over Alebiosu having progressed to an advanced stage.

Alebiosu, a 19-year-old right-back with joint English and Nigerian citizenship, joined Arsenal’s academy at the age of seven and played for the same age-group teams as Bukayo Saka.

He signed his first professional contract with the Gunners last summer, and was a regular for Arsenal’s Under-23s last season.

This would be his first senior loan move, but Johnson is hoping he can provide some competition and cover for Carl Winchester, who looks set to spend the bulk of the season playing at full-back rather than in midfield.

“I think we’ve done some good business in the last couple of weeks,” said assistant boss Jamie McAllister, who conducted post-match press duties after Sunderland’s win over Wycombe.

“We’ve been patient and waited for the right quality to come in, and if we can add another one or two before the window, then great. We want to keep adding to the quality, but they’ve got to be the right fit for the club.”

Grigg will be leaving ahead of Tuesday’s 11pm deadline, with Doncaster close to finalising a deal to sign the Northern Irishman.

Rovers officials have agreed the outline of an agreement that would see Grigg move to the Keepmoat Stadium, although the finer financial details are still be signed off.

Sunderland are understood to have agreed to pay a proportion of Grigg’s wages in order to get the striker off their books.