Sunderland and Ipswich Town are battling it out to sign former Norwich City goalkeeper Remi Matthews, according to East Anglian Daily Times.

Black Cats manager Phil Parkinson continues to scour the transfer market in an attempt to build a squad capable of winning promotion to the Championship after two successive failures to get out of League One.

One area in particular that needs sorting ahead of the new season is the goalkeeping position, with last season's number one Jon McLaughlin leaving for Scottish Premiership side Rangers in June.

Matthews has now emerged as a potential target for the Wearside club, having played under Parkinson at Bolton Wanderers. Ipswich are also said to be interested in making a summer move for the 26-year-old as Paul Lambert, like Parkinson, looks to improve his squad ahead of next term.

The stopper made 33 appearances for the Trotters last season in League One, conceding a total of 66 goals and keeping eight clean sheets, before being released during the summer.

The Norfolk-born 'keeper began his playing career with Norwich City before having loan spells with the likes of Burton Albion, Doncaster Rovers and Plymouth Argyle, as per Transfermarkt.

Sunderland need a new goalkeeper but it remains to be seen if Matthews has what it takes to go from relegation with Bolton to a promotion push with the Black Cats.

Signing him on a free transfer, however, looks like a low-risk move given that he is a free agent, while his previous working relationship with Parkinson could also be advantageous.

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