Sunderland chairman Ellis Short has reportedly flown to the UK to hold talks with Sam Allardyce and his representatives.

The former West Ham United boss has been strongly linked with the Stadium of Light vacancy and now the Wearside club are making a serious play to lure him back to the north east.

According to the Daily Mail, Short has returned to England to personally handle the negotiations as he looks to swiftly find a replacement for Dick Advocaat who parted ways with the club on the weekend.

Allardyce left West Ham at the end of last season and is the number one candidate to step into Advocaat's vacancy, even though his last stint in the region when Newcastle United boss back in 2007 ended prematurely.

Sunderland are hoping to seal the deal within the next 48 hours.