News today is that West Ham United are understood to be close to completing the signing of Sunderland left sided player Kieran Richardson.

West Ham have been strongly linked with a move for the former Manchester United player since the end of last season, and it now looks like Sam Allardyce is closing on one of his transfer targets.

Since Martin O’Neil took over as Sunderland boss, Richardson who is now 27, has found it tough to get a game for the Black Cats. A fee in the region of £2.5Million has been mooted.