Sunderland are reportedly fighting their North East rivals Middlesbrough among a whole host of clubs to sign free agent Fabian Delph.

The Lowdown: Delph available

Delph is available to sign outside of the transfer window as a free agent, as he is currently not attached to any other club.

He was released by Everton in the summer after making 41 appearances for them in total over three seasons (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Sunderland keen

As per Football League World, the Stadium of Light outfit are one of a whole host of clubs taking a keen interest in Delph, as they look to bolster their midfield options.

However, they will face competition from Middlesbrough, Sheffield United, West Brom, Reading and Glasgow Rangers for his signature.

The Verdict: Risky

While Delph would bring a lot of injury problems mean that signing him would be a big risk.

Of course, he could still offer a lot to the table, as having won the Premier League title twice with Manchester City among other trophies (Transfermarkt), the 32-year-old would bring a level of character and leadership both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

Black Cats supporters will be familiar with what Delph can bring as well, as he has actually never lost against them in nine career games, but his injury record will spark a major concern if they do end up signing him.