Barclays Premiership newcomers Sunderland have made their first summer signing with the capture of Reading defender Greg Halford.
It is understood the 22-year-old full-back has signed for the Black Cats after undergoing a medical.
The club are expected to confirm the transfer, which comes just five months after the Chelmsford-born player joined the Royals from Colchester, later on Monday.
Halford was a January buy for Steve Coppell, but he could never displace either Murty or De La Cruz in the starting XI. Big things were promised, but Coppell seemed to be bringing him along slowly. I'm surprised that Reading would sell him as Murty isn't getting younger. But perhaps they see something in De La Cruz, or Sunderland came up with more money than they could turn down. Roy Keane needed a new right back after ManU defender Johhny Evans returned to the mother ship.
If Halford is as good as promised, and that is now a question after Reading sells him, then he could turn out to be value for money come next season.
UPDATE: Here's the other piece to this puzzle: De La Cruz agrees new Royals deal