Sunderland are close to signing Middlesbrough striker flop on a free transfer.

The former Boro loanee appears to have chosen his next club, Sunderland.

Aaron Connolly, a former Middlesbrough washout, is reportedly close to joining Sunderland after being released by Hull City this summer.

According to the Roker Report, Connolly has been at Sunderland’s training field since Sunday, negotiating a free transfer. The Black Cats’ triumph against Boro in the Wear-Tees derby on Saturday has led to speculation of a trade.

Connolly, 24, spent the second half of the 21-22 season on loan at Boro from Brighton but failed to impress on Teesside. Despite being routinely utilized by then-manager Chris Wilder, he only scored two highly deflected goals in 20 appearances for the club, and a handful of off-field misdemeanours didn’t help his situation.

After leaving Boro, Connolly went on loan to Italian Serie B club Venezia, but after just five appearances and no goals, his loan was cut short and he moved to Championship rivals Hull City.

He seemed to enjoy himself more at the MKM Stadium, and his loan transfer there was extended into a permanent contract last summer. However, injuries hampered him, and he was released by the Tigers after scoring eight goals in 29 games.

Connolly, who has been without a club since then, now appears to be on his way back to the north east to join Sunderland, who are in need of reinforcements at the top of the pitch. Eliezer Mayenda has two goals and two assists this season, while summer addition Ahmed Abdullahi will be sidelined until Christmas due to a groin ailment.

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