By Paul Holmes
August 13 2002

Leicester City's highly rated youngster Matthew Piper is on the verge of completing a move to Premiership club Sunderland. Sunderland boss Peter Reid is under extreme pressure at The Stadium of Light having made no impact on the transfer market over the summer and several fans are calling for his head. Reid is hoping for a triple swoop of Piper, Liverpool's England U-21 defender Stephen Wright and Rangers striker Michael Mols.

Piper was thrown into the Leicester team in the closing games of last season and impressed heavily. The club however are in deep financial trouble and whilst the plan was to get the high earners off the books and blood the youngsters, the projected offer of around £3million is too good to turn down.

Piper was absent from Saturdays' win over Watford and his place on the right side of midfield was taken by Nicky Summerbee, who along with Bill McKinlay became the first amateurs to play league football in 30 years.

Leicester's Director of Football, Dave Bassett was keen to play down the speculation though when speaking to Planetfootball. "There has been no fee agreed and everybody seems to be jumping around at the moment.

But as I said talks are still continuing and nothing has been agreed about Piper.