SUNDERLAND youngster Josh Robertson is on the verge of completing a surprise deadline-day move to Premier League side Brighton.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder is currently on the south coast completing a medical before sealing his switch to the Seagulls.

Robertson, who has entered the final six months of his current deal with the Black Cats, had been expected to feature in Sunderland’s FA Youth Cup home game against Swindon Town tomorrow night.

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Instead, he has been permission to head south, with Sunderland set to receive a fee for a player who has been part of their academy set-up since the age of nine.

Having watched a succession of highly-rated youngsters leave in the last few days, Sunderland successfully persuaded both Chris Rigg and Tom Watson to remain on the club’s books last summer despite outside interest from elsewhere.

They are set to lose Robertson though, with Brighton seemingly having persuaded the teenager to join their development set-up in an attempt to further his career.