According to the Birmingham Mail, Sunderland and Aston Villa remain in talks over Tommy Elphick, with the Black Cats keen to sign the defender on-loan.

Simon Grayson is keen to add Elphick to his Sunderland squad during the final hours of the transfer window, and the North East giants are currently in discussions with Villa over a possible loan move for the out-of-favour central defender.

The additions of John Terry and Chris Samba at Villa Park have seen Elphick slip further down the pecking order, with Steve Bruce preferring the duo alongside James Chester so far during the 2017/18 campaign.

Elphick, 29, has been limited to just one appearance across all competitions so far this season, which came in the Carabao Cup victory over Wigan Athletic, where the former AFC Bournemouth man captained Villa to a 4-1 victory.

Villa only signed Elphick a little over a year ago, with the defender arriving in the Midlands on a three-year deal from Bournemouth, for a fee of around £3m.

However, the 29-year-old found his first season with Villa difficult, making just 26 Championship appearances during the 2016/17 campaign and falling out of Bruce’s plans towards the end of the season.

Elphick has also reportedly attracted interest from Birmingham City and Leeds United this summer.

The Verdict

Elphick’s opportunities at Villa Park are almost certain to be limited under Bruce this season, and the player will be hoping that he can agree a move away from the Midlands in the coming hours.

Sunderland have endured a mixed start to their Championship return, and a player like Elphick would be an excellent addition for Grayson, who is in search for leaders and defensive reinforcements at this late stage of the transfer window.

There is no doubt that Elphick has been poor over the last 12-months, but given regular game time and an opportunity to rediscover the form he showed at Bournemouth, he could be a shrewd signing.

Sunderland fans… Let us know your thoughts!