Sunderland, Arsenal agree Mannone fee

Sunderland have moved on a couple of key signings ahead of the Premier League season, agreeing to a fee for Arsenal keeper Vito Mannone.

The Wearside club have also opened talks for Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone, who will reportedly cost the North-East club five million pounds.

But Mannone will definitely depart the Emirates – with Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski both ahead of him, and the club chasing the services of QPR’s Julio Cesar – and will fill the absence left by the departing Simon Mignolet, who joined Liverpool recently.

The former Italy Under-21 representative will compete against Kieren Westwood for the number one spot under Paolo Di Canio.

Huddlestone, 26, could have been Sunderland-bound last season, but then-manager Martin O’Neill only wanted the Englishman on loan, and knocked back the offer.

Sunderland are thought to be close to sealing a deal for the former England Under-21 player, although O’Neill’s reasoning for not signing Huddlestone was concern with injury – a reason Stoke City turned down the midfielder last season.