Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy will chance his arm with a summer bid for Reading star Steve Sidwell now that
Everton have stepped aside.
The
Champions League-bound Toffees had been linked with a move for Sidwell - but boss David Moyes feels the Royals' valuation of £4m for the tenacious midfielder is way too high having captured Tim Cahill from Millwall for £1.5m and seen him make a huge impact in the top flight.
That has left the door open for Black Cats chief McCarthy, who has released a string of players from his title-winning squad so is launching a massive rebuilding job at The Stadium of Light.
McCarthy will be backed in the transfer market but is likely to open with a bid of around £2.5m and hope the lure of Premiership football may prove too tempting for Sidwell, who is a class act at Championship level.
