Sunderland have made an offer in excess of £1m for Exeter City's Josh Key as they look to finalise a deal for the midfielder.

The 21-year-old has emerged as a real target for Lee Johnson during the window, with the Black Cats already having three offers turned down for the talented player.

However, that hasn't put them off, with the Sky Sports Transfer Centre (15:48) revealing that another bid has been made.

"Sunderland have made a fourth bid for midfielder Josh Key at Exeter City. The offer is said to be worth upwards of £1m including add-ons. Talks have been ongoing for a number of weeks."

The youngster established himself as one of the top talents in League Two with his performances last season, with Key featuring in 43 games as Exeter finished just three points outside the play-off places.

It remains to be seen whether this latest move will convince the Grecians to cash in on their asset, although the prospect of joining Sunderland is surely going to appeal greatly to Key.

The verdict

This would be a smart bit of business for Sunderland as Key is a young, hungry player who importantly has the potential to get even better in the years to come.

So, whilst he might not be the sort of big-name addition that some fans are hoping for, it could be a shrewd bit of business from the Black Cats.

Bringing in another midfielder will be required to ensure the team have enough depth for the campaign ahead and Sunderland will hope that this latest big is enough to convince Exeter to sell.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.