Sunderland manager Jack Ross has revealed he was surprised to see the club accept a bid for midfielder George Honeyman from Championship side Hull.

The academy graduate is heading for talks with Grant McCann after a deal was agreed and it appears a move is imminent.

And, Ross addressed the situation when speaking to the club's media ahead of their League One opener against Oxford on Saturday and he explained that he wasn't aware at how advanced the transfer was.

"I spoke to George Honeyman yesterday, it was a lot for him to take. It was a surprise for me. We feel as though we are stable but we know we will get these bumps along the way.

"If everything concludes as expected today, I can't speak highly enough of him. He has a lot to look back on proudly if this is the end of his time at the club," he added.

[ad_pod ]

Losing the 24-year-old would be a big setback for the manager as he had made the local lad captain last season and he featured in 38 games as the Black Cats reached the play-off final.

The Verdict

It's slightly concerning that Ross didn't know the deal was so far down the line and it suggests figures above him have decided to accept this offer.

Whilst they have every right to make such decisions, Ross will surely have wanted a bigger input and it leaves him in a tricky situation with the season about to start.

In fairness to Ross, he has handled this quite well as he could easily have made it a big issue that he isn't the one making the calls when it comes to transfers.

Even though Honeyman hasn't always convinced, the manager clearly rates the player so he will need to be replaced.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.