Ipswich Town have accepted Sunderland's bid of £8m, rising to a possible £13m, for their teenager ­Connor Wickham and the striker has arrived in the north-east ahead of a medical scheduled for today.

Although it is conceivable that, providing personal terms are agreed, Wickham could become part of Steve Bruce's squad within the next 24 hours, the potential deal remains vulnerable to a last minute hijacking.

At only 18, the 6ft 3in, England Under-21 international has attracted interest from Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham. Despite Sunderland having made "significant progress" in their attempts to persaude him that the Stadium of Light is the right destination at this particular stage in his development, Bruce will not rest easy until the forward has actually signed.

Initially sceptical about relocating to Wearside, Wickham and his representative originally proposed lengthy talks with Bruce and Niall Quinn, Sunderland's manager and chairman respectively. As things transpired, convincing a forward who had seemingly set his heart on a move to his boyhood idols, Liverpool, that he would enjoy greater first-team opportunities at the Stadium of Light rather than with a more glamorous Premier League club proved easier than envisaged.

A precocious talent, Wickham made his senior debut for Ipswich at 16 and has since scored 15 times in 65 clubs appearances. While that represents a less than startling goals per games ratio, he has often been deployed as a winger at Portman Road. Moreover he is widely regarded as player of raw ability but immense potential, and Bruce and Quinn are braced for possible late counterbids.

Sunderland are prepared to pay £8m – £5m of that up front – with the remainder gradually payable on the fulfilment of assorted, mainly appearance-related, clauses that could boost the fee to £13m.

Bruce has spent several weeks pursuing Wickham but, until recently, believed the ball was very much in Liverpool's court. Yet despite registering an interest in the striker with Ipswich, the Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has yet to make a formal bid and now apparently regards other targets including Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Aaron Lennon as more important.

Meanwhile Craig Gardner, the Birmingham City midfielder, was scheduled to have a medical at Sunderland last night ahead of an agreed £5m move and is expected to complete his transfer today. The 24-year-old was Birmingham's top scorer last season with 10 goals from midfield. Bruce, who has already signed Keiren Westwood, Sebastian Larsson and Ji Dong-won this summer, is hoping Cristian Riveros, his Paraguay midfielder, will agree to a season long loan with the Turkish club Kayserispor.

• This article was amended on 29 June 2011. The original said Steve Bruce and Niall Quinn were Sunderland's chairman and manager respectively. This has been corrected.