CRAIG GARDNER is set to become Sunderland manager Steve Bruce’s first big-money buy of the summer after a £5m deal was agreed with Birmingham City.

The Black Cats spent the weekend putting the finishing touches to the transfer that should see South Korean striker Ji Dong-won complete his move to Wearside in the coming days.

Ji will officially be followed by free agents Seb Larsson and Keiren Westwood to the Stadium of Light on July 1 as Bruce makes progress on his extensive recruitment plans.

Gardner, who has been allowed to leave following the Blues’ relegation to the Championship, is on the verge of becoming Sunderland’s biggest signing of the summer so            far.

The 24-year-old is on holiday but on his return he will head straight to Sunderland for talks and to undergo a medical to finalise his departure from St Andrew’s.

Birmingham have been considering the offer from Sunderland for over a week but, after the appointment of Chris Hughton as manager, they have decided to accept the proposal.

Gardner, a Birmingham fan and a graduate of the Aston Villa Academy, scored ten times last season and Bruce is hoping he can bring goals to his shot-shy midfield.

Hughton was happy for the deal to go through quickly and he is hoping his good working relationship with Bruce can benefit Birmingham in the future. Bruce, though, will not be content to see his transfer activity stop there.

Once Ji has been granted international clearance and a visa to complete his switch to Sunderland, plenty more new players should follow him.

Liverpool’s David Ngog and Manchester United’s Darron Gibson should be the next two through the door, although there are still negotiations to be done in both deals.

All the discussions are complete with Ji, however, and he will become a Sunderland player once all of the extensive paperwork is concluded. He is set to move from Chunnan Dragons in a deal that could eventually be worth £2m.