Sunderland look set to recall goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from his loan at Preston North End, according to James Hunter of The Chronicle.
The England U21 international is currently mid-way through a season-long loan deal at the Championship club, but manager Sam Allardyce is set to use a clause in the deal to bring him back to the North East to take a first-hand look at him.
The deal that took Pickford to Preston contained a ten-day window at the beginning of January where he could be recalled at the request of Sunderland, and the club look set to use this clause to bring him back.
Costel Pantilimon is firmly established as the club’s first-choice shot-stopper, but with Vito Mannone apparently looking to make a move to Italy, the Black Cats could use 21-year-old Pickford as their backup option.
Of course, if Mannone does not make a switch in January, Sunderland could easily grant Pickford another loan move, possibly back to Preston, where he has kept 10 clean sheets in 19 Championship games so far this season.
