Sunderland are said to have made contact with Liverpool over the potential loan signing of defender Tony Gallacher, as per a recent report by the Liverpool Echo.

The 22-year-old full back is one of a cluster of Liverpool's academy players who is expected to leave the club this summer, with the Black Cats having now firmed up their interest.

It is said that a loan deal is under discussion between the two clubs, however the possibility of a permanent agreement being struck for the Scotsman hasn't been ruled out.

Gallacher previously signed for the Reds back in January 2018 following a successful trial and has since gone on to make just one senior appearance for the Premier League outfit.

The defender previously spent time out on loan at Toronto in the MLS last season and made 10 appearances for the Canadian side.

It is thought that Liverpool would be more in favour of the full back making a permanent move away from the club this summer than another loan.

The Verdict 

This would be a clever move for Lee Johnson and co to sanction, as they would be bringing in a player who still has plenty of years of development ahead of him.

Gallacher can play in numerous defensive positions and would provide a solid option at both left and right back moving forwards.

The full back positions are in need of major improvements from Sunderland's perspective and for that reason I can completely understand why they are casting their net wide in search of new recruits.

A loan or permanent deal for the Liverpool youngster would greatly suit the Black Cats and it would also help to bring down the average age of their squad ahead of the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Furthermore, I also believe that there will be a few more additions on top of Gallacher over the coming weeks, with Sunderland a little way off where they want/need to be in terms of squad depth.