Celtic accept Sunderland bid for Adam Matthews

Adam Matthews: Helped Celtic win four league championships. Picture: SNS

If personal terms can be sorted out, the 23-year-old will move to Wearside to link up with former Rangers manager Dick Advocaat, who kept Sunderland in the Premier League last season after a titanic battle against relegation.

Matthews joined Celtic from Cardiff City in July 2011 and has one year remaining on his contract.

He made 42 appearances for the club last season and picked up a fourth Scottish Premiership winners’ medal in the process.

News of Sunderland’s bid came just hours after Celtic confirmed the signing from Manchester United of teenage right-back Saidy Janko, who can also play in right midfield.

Janko was paraded at Celtic’s Lennoxtown training base yesterday.

Matthews, who has 12 caps for his country, originally agreed a pre-contract deal with Celtic in the summer of 2011.

He quickly established himself in the squad and scored his first goal for the club in December 2012 during a Scottish Cup win at Arbroath.

He endured an injury-interrupted season in 2013-14 but came back into the side to help Celtic clinch the league title.

Matthews has vied with Mikael Lustig for the right-back slot in recent year but made the berth his own in the season just ended as the Swedish defender struggled with injured.

The negotiations for Matthews are part of a busy few days for Sunderland, who completed a permanent deal for Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates on Wednesday night and then tied up key midfielder Lee Cattermole with a five-year contract extension.

In addition, they are understood to be maintaining interests in Zenit St Petersburg’s Belgium international defender Nicolas Lombaerts and Dutch striker Jeremain Lens, who plays for Dynamo Kiev.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United Newcastle have belatedly confirmed the make-up of Steve McClaren’s coaching team - in an e-mail to fans.

The Magpies, who presented McClaren only to preferred media partners following his appointment, announced on their official website last night that the former England manager had introduced his new-look staff to fans registered to receive communications from the club.

The details come as no surprise – Scot Ian Cathro and former Derby first team coach Paul Simpson have been appointed as assistant coaches, while Alessandro Schoenmaker will take over as fitness coach and Steve Black, who worked for the club during the 1990s, will help out on a consultancy basis.

Goalkeeping Andy Woodman, who has been linked with a move to Crystal Palace, also remains on board.

Elsewhere, Southampton have opened talks with Atletico Madrid over a permanent move for central defender Toby Alderweireld. Amid speculation that Tottenham are ready to hijack the deal, it is understood South hampton are hoping to steal a march on other interested parties having already entered into negotiations with the Spanish outfit.

Alderweireld, who joined Atletico from Dutch club Ajax in September 2013, spent last season on loan at St Mary’s and made 26 league appearances.