Sunderland want to agree a deal for Alan Hutton and are also eager to extend John Mensah's stay.
Hutton talks to take place with Tottenham
Sunderland want to agree a permanent deal for Alan Hutton and are also eager to extend John Mensah's stay into next season.
Hutton, who was sent off against Hull City last weekend, has become a regular part of manager Steve Bruce's plans since arriving on loan from Tottenham in January.
The Scotland international's chances of first-team football at Spurs have decreased and Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn claims the player wants to stay at the Stadium of Light.
Talks are now planned with the Tottenham hierarchy as Quinn aims to strike a long-term deal for Hutton.
During a webchat with fans on the club's
official website on Friday, Quinn said: "We have been happy with Alan. I sat down with him this morning and was delighted to hear his desire to come permanently to SAFC.
"I now have to contact [Spurs' executive chairman] Daniel Levy to see if this is possible."
Sunderland also want to keep hold of Mensah, who has done well in his season-long loan from Lyon, despite repeated injuries.
Tough
The Premier League club's chief executive Steve Walton said: "John's a really tough one.
"He wants to stay, we want him to stay and I'm hoping to visit Lyon shortly to try and strike a deal for another year.
"But the original proposal cannot be accepted. Watch this space."
Walton, who also confirmed the club are working on a deal to bring Paraguayan midfielder Christian Riveros to Wearside, insisted there will be no high-profile departures from the Stadium of Light this summer.
He said: "There is no way we will sell any of our top players, except for crazy money. It's about getting better every year, not going backwards."
Asked specifically if he was concerned about the big guns expressing an interest in leading scorer Darren Bent, who took his goal tally for the season to 25 at Hull, Quinn replied: "If so, it's great that they are because it means we are in a very good place with a very good player.
"We see Darren being phenomenal for this club for a long time to come."
