IT is set to be a case of one in and one out for Sunderland in the next 24 hours, with Romaine Mundle poised to undergo a medical as Alex Pritchard completes his own permanent move to Birmingham City.

Mundle will follow Leo Kjelde through the entrance door to become the Black Cats’ second signing of this month’s transfer window, with club officials still aiming to bring in a forward ahead of tomorrow night’s 11pm deadline.

Sunderland have agreed a deal with Mundle’s current employers, Standard Liege, that will see them pay an up-front fee of just over £1m, with the total deal potentially worth around £2m once add-ons are included.

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The Belgian media are reporting that there is no sell-on clause included within the deal, which could work to Sunderland’s benefit in the future if the 20-year-old progresses as hoped during his time on Wearside.

Mundle is due to undergo a medical later today, and with the personal terms of his return to England already agreed, the transfer should be completed well ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

Having penned his first professional contract with Tottenham in 2021 after progressing through the Premier League club’s academy, Mundle was tipped for big things in north London.

He was selected in a number of senior matchday squads, but turned down the offer of a new deal with Spurs and left to join Standard Liege last summer before he had made his first-team debut.

He has made six substitute appearances for Liege in the Belgian top-flight, but has opted to return to England in an attempt to take his career to the next level.

Swansea City and Stoke City both held discussions over a possible deal, but Sunderland were the only team to reach a financial agreement with the Standard Liege hierarchy. Provided there are no unforeseen hiccups, Mundle should be available to make his Sunderland debut in Sunday’s Tees-Wear derby against Middlesbrough if Michael Beale opts to promote him straight into the squad.

A winger who can play on either flank, or also as a ‘number ten’ if required, Mundle effectively replaces Pritchard, who has been given permission to travel to Birmingham to complete a permanent move to St Andrew’s.

Pritchard is set to sign a two-and-a-half year deal with the Blues, and will be reunited with former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray, who replaced Wayne Rooney as Birmingham boss earlier this month.

The 30-year-old came close to leaving the Stadium of Light in the summer, and refused to sign the one-year contract extension he was offered on Wearside during this month’s transfer window.

He refused to be considered for selection for last weekend’s home win over Stoke City, and Sunderland have accepted a six-figure fee to move him on.

Once Mundle’s arrival is confirmed, attention will switch to the Black Cats’ ongoing attempts to sign a striker in the final two days of the window.

Sunderland continue to hold discussions with Bournemouth over Kieffer Moore, but like a number of other Championship clubs, they are struggling to meet the Cherries’ current financial demands.

Moore joined Bournemouth in a £5m move from Cardiff City in January 2022, and is believed to be earning significantly more than Sunderland’s current highest earner.

While he has been on the fringe of Andoni Iraola’s first-team squad in the last couple of months, he is keen to leave the Vitality Stadium in order to safeguard his place in the Wales squad for March’s European Championship play-offs, and potentially at this summer’s finals in Germany if Wales make it through.

Iraola is happy to grant his request to leave on loan, but Bournemouth want to recoup as much of his wages as possible, which is complicating attempts to engineer a deal.

Cardiff City and Ipswich Town have both held discussions with the Bournemouth hierarchy over Moore but, like Sunderland, are struggling to come up with an acceptable financial package.

The Black Cats have once again been linked with a possible loan move for Amad Diallo in the last 24 hours, but as has been the case throughout the transfer window, Manchester United’s current stance is that they do not want the Ivorian forward to leave this month.