Matthew Piper is set to perform a U-turn and leave Leicester for Sunderland after rejecting a move to Southampton in favour of joining the Black Cats - who he turned down last week.
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Piper: Out for six weeks
(MikeHewitt/Allsport) |
The highly-rated winger, 20, is set to become Sunderland manager Peter Reid's fifth summer signing after declining a £3 million move to St Mary's.
Piper had turned down a move to the Stadium of Light last week but reconsidered after holding talks with Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe on Friday.
Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe told the club's official website: `We met the player on Friday and were hopeful he would join
us but it appears he has now decided to go to Sunderland after turning them down
at the start of last week.
`He is a nice lad but very quiet and we wish him well. We will leave the door
open because you never know in football but it looks as though that is the end
of the matter.'
After a summer of free transfer signings - Phil Babb, Thomas Myhre and Sean Thornton - Sunderland manager Reid splashed out £3 million on Liverpool right back Stephen Wright last week and is set to add Piper to his squad while his lengthy search for a striker goes on.
Saints are now taking a look at the former Rangers, Everton and Manchester United winger Andrei Kanchelskis, 33, who is training with them.
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