Vito Mannone is close to signing for Sunderland in a deal that will see him leave Arsenal after an eight year spell at the club.

The Italian stopper joined as a teenager from Atalanta in 2005 but has failed to convince Arsene Wenger he’s a long-term candidate for the number 1 position.

Mannone enjoyed two positive loan spells at Hull City and made a total of 13 appearances last season, filling in when both Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski were out injured.

Mannone is set to join up with fellow Italian Paolo di Canio at the Stadium of Light as the Black Cats look to replace Belgian Simon Mignolet who signed for Liverpool this week.

It remains to be seen if Arsenal are in the market for another keeper this summer, but with Mignolet at Liverpool Pepe Reina’s name has been mentioned again. Arsene Wenger tried to bring the Spaniard to the club a few summers ago, but this was when he was still a goalkeeper who could keep goal and not a clapped out baldy old gimp like he is today.

Arseblog News wishes Mannone luck at his new club.

Ciao, Don Vito!