Delap set for Sunderland switch

Southampton’s flurry of transfer activity was continuing apace today with utility man Rory Delap on the verge of a move to Premiership strugglers Sunderland.

Delap has undergone a medical and is poised to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Black Cats as George Burley continues to restructure his Saints squad.

The 29-year-old, who made more than 150 appearances after joining in a club record £4m deal from Derby five years ago, is currently carrying an Achilles injury, but that seems unlikely to have a bearing on the transfer.

Burley yesterday brought in Danish striker Peter Madsen on loan from Cologne and Swedish full-back Alexander Ostlund for a fee of around £500,000 to add to fellow January acquisitions Darren Potter, Jim Brennan and Bartosz Bialkowski.

He is also planning at least one more arrival before tonight’s midnight deadline, with Portuguese defender Pele and West Brom midfielder Richard Chaplow linked with moves to St Mary’s.

Chaplow’s loan deal may hinge on Nigel Quashie’s move to The Hawthorns, however, with Scottish champions Rangers also thought to be interested in a deal for the Scotland midfielder.

Meanwhile, today’s departures of Delap, Matthew Mills, Leon Best and Yoann Folly brought the number of players leaving St Mary’s since Burley’s arrival to 14.

Theo Walcott, Antti Niemi and Brett Ormerod are among those to have left, with Burley adamant he needed to clear the decks at the struggling Coca-Cola Championship club.

“It has been a very busy time,” said Burley. “I have not been here long but I have had a look at the squad and realised changes need to be made.

“We have got to steady the ship and then turn it around to go the right way. We need to get the right work ethic with everyone pulling in the right direction.”

Mills’ move to Manchester City, for an undisclosed fee, came after the 19-year-old defender made it clear he would walk away when his current deal expired at the end of the season.

Saints’ academy manager Huw Jennings revealed: “Everyone is disappointed that Matthew has decided to pursue his career elsewhere.

“We wanted him to stay but he declined the club’s offer of a new contract and made it clear that he wanted to move on.”

Striker Best, 19, and 20-year-old midfielder Folly have joined Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday – and former Saints boss Paul Sturrock – on loan until the end of the season.