Sunderland’s Connor Wickham set for talks with Crystal Palace

Wickham joined Sunderland back in 2011 for a sizeable £8million but it is fair to say that the striker has not quite fulfilled his potential at the club despite showing few glimpses.

Crystal Palace have agreed a deal with Sunderland for forward Connor Wickham, HITC Sport understands from sources close to the proposed transfer.

Both Gus Poyet and Dick Advocaat used Wickham wide on the left last season and the £8m signing has scored just 15 goals in 91 appearances for the Black Cats. But he failed to re-produce the same form last season with five goals in 31 starts and five games in the league at an average of a goal for every 554 minutes on the pitch.

Wickham should be a better player than he is given his physical attributes and that has been enough to persuade Palace manager Alan Pardew to move for the 22-year-old.

And he could become the second new striker at Selhurst Park this summer following a loan deal for Chelsea’s Patrick Bamford.

Wickham is one of three misfiring and unreliable goal-scorers in Sunderland’s side, along with Fletcher and Danny Graham, and Advocaat will be looking to upgrade this position to ensure survival for the upcoming season.