Sunderland, Portsmouth and Oxford United are in a transfer tussle to the potential signing of Charlton Athletic defender, Jason Pearce according to Sky Sports reporter, Mark McAdam. 

McAdam broke the news on his Twitter account on Saturday, and this latest rumour will be met with some intrigue.

Pearce made 26 league appearances for Charlton as they won promotion back into the Championship last season, but it seems as though his future could lie away from The Valley.

Charlton will be preparing for for life back in the second tier of English football, and it's likely that Lee Bowyer could move some players on before the season gets underway in August.

Bowyer himself is yet to commit to a new deal at Charlton, and the club will be keen to have his long-term future resolved at the earliest of opportunities.

Sunderland could certainly benefit from having a defender of Pearce's experience in their ranks ahead of next season, as Jack Ross' side struggled defensively towards the end of last season.

But they'll face a real battle on their hands to land his signature, with both Portsmouth and Oxford likely to be able to offer Pearce regular game time compared to the Black Cats.

The Verdict: 

This could be a useful signing for all of the clubs linked.

Pearce is an experienced defender who can definitely cut it in League One for another season, as I just can't see Charlton needing him next season.

The Addicks need better alternatives to turn to in the Championship, and their loss could be Sunderland or Portsmouth's gain.