Sunderland have spoken to Brighton chiefs about managerial candidate Gus Poyet.
The Sunday Mirror says the Black Cats' chief executive Margaret Byrne approached Brighton counterpart Paul Barber for a warts and all account on Poyet.
Albion chief Barber is part of the board who controversially sacked 45-year-old Uruguayan Poyet at the end of last season.
And Barber was also executive director at Tottenham when Poyet lost his job as assistant manager as part of the shake-up that saw Juande Ramos axed.
