Sunderland are braced for a brutal January shake-up and midfield favourite Dan Neil looks set to be the first casualty of their winter clear-out.
The 23-year-old, once the heartbeat of their promotion-winning side, is now heading for the exit door, according to TEAMtalk.
Neil has barely had a look-in this season after big-money arrivals Noah Sadiki and Granit Xhaka pushed him down the pecking order.
With his contract expiring in the summer, Sunderland are ready to cash in while they still can.
Everton, Aston Villa and West Ham all made approaches in the summer and remain interested, with the Black Cats now open to selling their former captain in January.
Neil has played just two Premier League minutes all season, and a fresh start looks inevitable as Sunderland attempt to balance the books and reshape their squad for the run-in.
