Ivory Coast international and former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue is closing in on a deal to join Premier League side Sunderland.
Eboue has been without a club since he left Galatasaray at the end of last season, but has been training with Sam Allardyce’s squad and has impressed since thereby forcing the looming deal.
“We will try to sign him by the end of the week if we can negotiate a contract until the end of the season,” Allardyce told a news conference.
“It would be wrong of me to turn down a player with such great experience in the Premier League, Champions League and international football – or not to think that he could play a part for us in our fight against relegation this season.”
“I have DeAndre [Yedlin], Billy Jones and [Adam] Matthews, but when you have somebody with the experience, knowledge and ability of Emmanuel Eboue who wants to come and train with you and prove himself, you can’t turn that down,” he said.
“I think given he has proven his fitness in training in the last two and a half weeks, that might give us something a little better down that side if and when needed.”
Eboue made over 200 appearances for Arsenal, and could prove vital for the club’s relegation struggles.