Sunderland are keeping an eye on Villa defender
According to the Birmingham Mail, Sunderland are keen on buying Tommy Elphick from Aston Villa as they look to rebuild their side for life in the Championship.
Elphick hasn’t feature for Villa during their last three pre-season friendlies as he is thought to be carrying a slight niggle. However, he still trained with Villa when they were over in Portugal last week, and he has been reporting to Bodymoor Heath every morning since.
The former Brighton and Bournemouth defender signed for Villa last season when Roberto Di Matteo was in charge. However, due to injuries and a lack of form, he hasn’t been able to cement his place in the starting XI. Now, with Terry having signed, it looks likely that he will have to move elsewhere to get regular football.
It’s understood that the Black Cats see Elphick as the perfect replacement for Lamine Kone, who they are willing to sell for around £8 million this summer. However, Leeds and Birmingham City are also interested in acquiring the 29-year-old’s signature.