Sunderland are interested in a swoop for Motherwell right-back Stephen O’Donnell, as reported by Football League World.

The Lowdown: Sunderland gearing up

Progressing towards what is a critical campaign for the Black Cats, boss Lee Johnson will be under no illusions that he has to find a way to lift Sunderland out of Sky Bet League One this time around.

Making moves from a recruitment standpoint, the North East giants have completed deals for four arrivals in the form of Alex Pritchard, Jacob Carney, Corry Evans and Callum Doyle [Transfermarkt].

Now, they look set for another transfer pursuit owing to recent developments.

The Latest: Sunderland interested in O’Donnell swoop

Looking to bring in a right-back, Sunderland are confident they can strike a deal for 29-year-old O’Donnell for less than £500,000 [Football League World].

He is contracted to the Fir Park side until 2023, and would be a considerable coup for Johnson’s promotion chasers should a deal come to fruition.

O’Donnell has been a regular for the Scotland international team, earning rave reviews for his man of the match performance at EURO 2020 against England at Wembley [Daily Record].

The Verdict: O’Donnell would be an astute signing for the Black Cats

Bringing experience and quality to the table, the Bellshill-born full-back would be an excellent piece of business for Sunderland.

In 2020/21, he impressed for the Steelmen, registering eight goal contributions in 41 fixtures; three goals and five assists [Transfermarkt].

Furthermore, he showed his defensive prowess across the year, successfully winning 2.2 aerial duels on average per game [WhoScored].

Once labelled as ‘exceptional’ by Scotland manager Steve Clarke, the Black Cats should look to sign him up as a matter of priority [The Scottish Sun].

In other news, Sunderland fans have slammed one of their players after a poor performance.