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Sunderland’s Jack Colback has emerged as a free transfer target for Aston Villa, according to sources in the north east.

The midfielder is out of contract this summer and is expected to leave the Stadium of Light despite being offered a new deal.

The 24-year-old Black Cats academy graduate is being tracked by a host of Premier League clubs, believed to include Villa.

But the uncertainty at the club and Colback’s increased personal terms could see the claret and blues lose out to one of their top-flight rivals, with West Ham reportedly ready to offer him a lucrative deal.

Colback is understand to be on modest wages in Premier League terms but his likely availability on a Bosman will enable him to up his demands.

Sunderland’s north-east neighbours Newcastle have expressed an interest in Colback, who is also being pursued by Swansea.

Colback put his football future on hold while he married partner Joanne last weekend but is expected to make a decision next month.

Paul Lambert is targeting players with Premier League experience this summer and Colback fits the type having made more than 100 first-team appearances for the Wearsiders.

But any negotiations at Villa are complicated by the uncertainty surrounding Lambert’s long-term position, with chairman Randy Lerner keen to sell the club.

Birmingham Mail columnist and former Villa favourite Ian Taylor admits the current state of limbo makes transfer dealings particularly difficult for the manager.

“Yes, because you need everything in place before you go and buy players,” said Taylor.

“There were question marks over Paul Lambert and whether he was going to stay or not. They have said he will stay, so does Randy Lerner give him money to spend, if he’s going?

“It’s a Catch-22 really, why would Randy give the manager money when he is leaving?

“It’s a difficult one and I don’t know how it is going to be handled but as long as it is done before the start of the season it’s good for everyone.

“You hope it gets done soon because you don’t want to be going into the start of the season without an owner and without a plan of what you want to do.

“For me, it needs to be done before you go back for pre-season which is what, five or six weeks? It’s a difficult one and hopefully people are doing things behind the scenes.”

Villa will unveil their new home kit, manufactured by Macron with the logo of sponsors Dafabet, on Monday. It will be available to buy during a kit launch weekend at Villa Park on June 14 and 15.