SUNDERLAND look set to complete their first signing of the summer with Arsenal defender Daniel Ballard close to sealing a permanent switch to the Stadium of Light.

Ballard has been Wearside today to undergo a medical at the club. Should there be no complications, Ballard should put pen-to-paper on a four year deal on Wearside. It’s understood the club are hopeful of wrapping up the deal before the end of the week.

The move for Ballard will bolster Sunderland’s thin defensive ranks with Danny Batth currently their only senior first-team centre half after the departures of last season’s loanee Callum Doyle and Kosovan defender Arbenit Xhemajli. However, Bailey Wright is expected to sign a new contract with the club after he returns from extended time off which should also be confirmed this week.

The 22-year-old, who is yet to feature in Arsenal’s first team, spent last season on loan with Championship side Millwall where he made 33 appearances in all competitions for the club in a season which saw the Lions narrowly miss out on a place in the play-offs. The season before, he spent time on loan with Blackpool where they went on to achieve promotion from League One.

There has been reported interest in Ballard’s services over the summer with talk a potential return to the Den along with an offer from Blackpool but after Sunderland tabled an offer of their own, they appear to have won the race to his signature and he is expected to become their first summer signing.

The Northern Ireland international, who has 15 caps and two goals to his name, is expected to link up with the squad and head out on their pre-season camp in Portugal, which they expect to travel to next week.