The Scottish Premier League side see the Republic of Ireland international as a key summer signing and have raised the idea of a season-long loan deal.

But Sunderland are not interested in yet another temporary spell for a player who was farmed out to Sheffield United and Crystal Palace on loan last season and is clearly surplus to requirements at the Stadium of Light.

They want him off their books permanently and Hibs will be told they can forget the idea of a lengthy loan spell – if they want him, they will have to buy him.

That though, might not prove too much of a problem for the Scottish club, which this week sold striker Steven Fletcher to Burnley in a £3m deal.

For Sunderland will do business for substantially less than the £2m Roy Keane paid for the Arsenal player's services in January 2007.
Stokes' high wages might be a problem.

But there's a chance that with a bit of negotiation from all sides, the striker might consider a wage reduction and Sunderland could accept a lower fee so that Hibs could meet the player's salary.

Certainly it would seem to be in the best interests of all concerned that the striker's future is resolved as soon as possible.

The 20-year-old's career has hit the buffers completely over the last 12 months and another year on the fringes can hardly appeal to the forward.