Jack Rodwell was at Sunderland’s training ground on Monday night for a medical and the finalisation of personal terms after Manchester City agreed to sell the 23-year-old midfielder to the Wearside club for a fee in excess of £10m.

With the deal expected to be completed on Tuesday Gus Poyet is on the brink of pulling off quite a transfer coup as Rodwell had been pursued by a queue of Premier League rivals.

It seems that during a round of talks with assorted suitors last week Rodwell identified Sunderland as his preferred destination. An England international, he cost £12m when he swapped Everton for City in 2012 but struggled to establish himself in the first team at the Etihad, making only seven Premier League starts – and scoring two goals – during his City tenure.

Barring an audacious late hijacking by another club, Rodwell – 6ft 2in and with three senior England caps – promises to satisfy the Sunderland manager’s desire for a “box-to-box midfielder”. Although Jordi Gómez has arrived on a free transfer from Wigan this summer, the midfield has been weakened by the departures of Jack Colback, Ki Sung-yueng and Craig Gardner.

With Fabio Borini – who enjoyed a successful loan stint at the Stadium of Light last season, helping Sunderland accomplish a near-miraculous escape from relegation – stalling over his £14m permanent move from Liverpool, Poyet had become markedly restless in recent days.

The Uruguayan increased the pressure on Lee Congerton, Sunderland’s new sporting director, by going public with his impatience last week but it is hoped Rodwell’s imminent arrival will encourage Borini to commit himself to returning to Wearside. A final answer from the Italian striker is expected before the weekend, with Liverpool keen for him to sign the agreement reached with Sunderland.

Poyet, meanwhile, is optimistic that the Argentinian defender Santiago Vergini – who also had a successful loan stint at Sunderland last term – will shortly agree a permanent transfer from Estudiantes. However, rumours that Samuel Eto’o, released by Chelsea in June, is poised to relocate to Wearside appear fanciful.