DENVER HUME has travelled to Portsmouth to undergo a medical, and is expected to complete his move from Sunderland in the next couple of days.

Hume will make a permanent switch to Fratton Park, with Pompey understood to be paying an initial fee of around £200,000 for the left-back, who signed a two-year contract when he rejoined Sunderland as a free agent in September.

The deal is also believed to include a sell-on clause that will ensure the Black Cats receive a significant sum if Portsmouth sell Hume for a profit in the future.

The 23-year-old turned down alternative offers to rejoin Sunderland in the autumn, but has been unable to dislodge Dennis Cirkin from Lee Johnson’s preferred starting line-up.

Ashington-born Hume leaves Wearside having made 84 senior appearances for the Black Cats, with Johnson having left him out of the matchday squad for Saturday’s 1-0 win over Pompey because he was on the verge of joining Sunderland’s opponents.

“He’s a player we would like to bring in,” said Pompey boss Danny Cowley at the weekend. “We’d like an attacking left-back, and he’s one we’ve inquired about. I believe we’ve made an offer.”

While Hume is moving on, Sunderland will not be allowing goalkeeper Anthony Patterson to rejoin Notts County on loan.

Patterson was recalled when Lee Burge suffered an injury last month, and will remain on Wearside as Burge is undergoing precautionary heart checks after a setback in his recovery from Covid.

Johnson has confirmed that Burge has been having ‘heart palpitations’ after contracting Covid, and Patterson will remain on Wearside to cover for first-choice shot-stopper Thorben Hoffmann.

Meanwhile, Sunderland’s home game with Fleetwood Town has been rearranged for Tuesday, March 8 (7.45pm).