Sunderland set to seal Fletcher deal

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<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.24.1.1/69283?ns=guardian&pageName=Steven+Fletcher+in+Sunderland+to+finalise+*12m+transfer+from+Wolves%3AArticle%3A1791466&ch=Football&c3=GU.co.uk&c4=Transfer+window+%28football%29%2CSunderland+%28Football%29%2CWolverhampton+Wanderers+%28Football%29%2CMartin+O%27Neill+%28football%29%2CFootball%2CSport&c5=Football+World+Cup%2CPremier+League&c6=Press+Association&c7=12-Aug-23&c8=1791466&c9=Article&c10=News&c11=Football&c13=&c25=&c30=content&c42=Sport&h2=GU%2FSport%2FFootball%2FTransfer+window" width="1" height="1" /></div><p class="standfirst">• Fletcher due for medical after clubs agree fee<br />• Martin O'Neill wants deal done before Reading game</p><p>The Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill was on Thursday morning closing in on his top summer target as Steven Fletcher headed for Wearside.</p><p>The 25-year-old Wolves striker was due to open talks over his protracted switch to the Black Cats after the two clubs finally agreed a deal.</p><p>It is understood that Fletcher was due in the north-east to discuss personal terms and to undergo a medical with a view to completing his move ahead of Saturday's Premier League fixture against promoted Reading at the Stadium of Light.</p><p>Given Sunderland's dogged pursuit of the Scotland international, who earlier this month handed in a transfer request in an effort to hasten his exit from Molineux, O'Neill will hope for swift progress.</p><p>However, having finally negotiated the tortuous process of reaching agreement with Wolves, the Sunderland manager will take nothing for granted.</p><p>The fee is understood to be in the region of £12m, despite suggestions from the Midlands that it is considerably higher, although Sunderland have taken a firm stance in their valuation of a player for whom several previous bids had been rejected.</p><p>That is a sizeable investment in a man who cost Wolves £7m just two years ago, but an illustration of O'Neill's belief that he could be central to his club's immediate and long-term future.</p><div class="related" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/transfer-window">Transfer window</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/sunderland">Sunderland</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/wolves">Wolverhampton Wanderers</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/martin-o-neill">Martin O'Neill</a></li></ul></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> &copy; 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our <a href="http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html">Terms & Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/feeds">More Feeds</a></div><p style="clear:both" /><img width='1' height='1' src='http://guardian.co.uk.feedsportal.com/c/34708/f/639039/s/22a67114/mf.gif' border='0'/><br/><br/><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/139263450773/u/49/f/639039/c/34708/s/22a67114/a2.htm"><img src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/139263450773/u/49/f/639039/c/34708/s/22a67114/a2.img" border="0"/></a><img width="1" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/139263450773/u/49/f/639039/c/34708/s/22a67114/a2t.img" border="0"/>
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