Black Cats offer Kavanagh as bait to sign Higginbotham

GRAHAM KAVANAGH is being offered to Stoke City as a makeweight in the deal that Sunderland hope will bring Danny Higginbotham to Wearside.

Roy Keane wants Higginbotham at the Stadium of Light to strengthen the club’s options at centre-half.

And the Black Cats are hoping that the inducement of having the Republic of Ireland international returning to the Potteries will clinch thee deal.