Vito Mannone to Sunderland

The Italian, 25, is wanted by Black Cats’ boss Paolo di Canio to replace Liverpool-bound Simon Mignolet.

Talks are under way and the deal is likely to go through over the weekend. Mannone is No 3 keeper for The Gunners behind Wojciech Szczeszny and Lukasz Fabianski.

Having signed as an 18-year-old he failed to breakthrough into Arsenal’s first team.

Mannone has played 22 times for the club since 2006 and was loaned to Barnsley and Hull.