SUNDERLAND are set for a major breakthrough in their efforts to sign a striker, with the Black Cats closing in on Zenit St Petersburg’s Wilson Isidor.

The 23-year-old former France youth international was heading for Wearside on Tuesday to put the finishing touches to his move to the Stadium of Light, said his Russian club’s chairman.

Details of the deal are not clear at this stage but reports suggest the striker is likely to initially join on a loan move, with an option for Sunderland to later make the switch permanent.

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The transfer developments come as a major boost for the Black Cats, who have been working around the clock to bolster their forward line. It remains to be seen what impact Isidor’s arrival will have on efforts to sign Alexandre Mendy, with the Caen striker’s agent saying on Tuesday that the 30-year-old still wants to join Sunderland.

Isidor broke through at Monaco before heading out on loan. He joined Lokomotiv Moscow in 2022 before linking up with Zenit on loan last season. Zenit were obligated to make that deal permanent this summer but Sunderland then learnt of Isidor’s availability and made their move.

The striker’s imminent switch was confirmed on Tuesday by Zenit chairman Alexander Medvedev, who said: “Wilson Isidore is on his way to Sunderland, England.”