Sunderland Close on Chimbonda

Pascal Chimbonda is set to join Teemu Tainio in swapping Tottenham for Sunderland having passing a medical in the North-east last night. A deal for Chimbonda was "close" and the full-back could be presented as a Sunderland player as early as this afternoon.

He and Tainio could soon be joined by Younes Kaboul, who has agreed personal terms with the club and is due to have a medical this morning. Roy Keane, though, is still waiting to hear whether Steed Malbranque intends following in his Spurs team-mates' footsteps.

"We are still very hopeful Malbranque will sign for us," said the Sunderland manager yesterday, soon after signing the veteran Ireland goalkeeper Nick Colgan from Ipswich as cover for Craig Gordon.

Another Tottenham player who is on the move is Anthony Gardner. The defender is due to have a medical at Hull City today ahead of a loan move to the KC Stadium.

The Hull manager, Phil Brown, last night confirmed the 27-year-old will sign for six months. "There's lots to be done but we've agreed terms of a loan with a view to a permanent deal," he said. "The original asking price was a little bit rich so we backed off, but the asking price has come down a wee bit."

Gardner, who has been capped once by England, has struggled to establish himself at White Hart Lane since arriving from Port Vale for £1m in January 2000. He spent part of last season on loan at Everton but failed to make an appearance for the Merseyside club.

Lee Cattermole is close to joining Wigan in a £3.5m transfer from Middlesbrough, who also look set to allow promising youngster Adam Johnson to move on. The left-winger is wanted by Rangers and the Middlesbrough manager, Gareth Southgate, has indicated he would be prepared to loan him to the club.