Gardner closing in on West Brom move

West Bromwich Albion are close to agreeing a deal to sign Sunderland midfielder Craig Gardner, the Mirror understands.

The 27 year old is available on a free transfer after leaving the Mackems, and has long been linked with a return to the Midlands having already turned out for Aston Villa and Birmingham City.

He will now undergo a medical with the currently managerless Baggies, with the transfer set to be wrapped up in the coming days.

Gardner played 100 times in all competitions for Sunderland, having made the switch from St Andrews in the summer of 2011.

However, he appeared in less than half of their top flight games last season, with his last league start coming in the 4-3 home defeat to Chelsea on December 4th.

Despite being rooted to the bottom of the table at the turn of the year, Sunderland ended the season in fourteenth place, two points clear of West Brom in seventeenth.