SUNDERLAND have agreed a short-term deal to sign free agent James McFadden until the turn of the year.

McFadden, 29, has been training with the Black Cats for the last month and talks have been ongoing between the player's agent and the club.

Now Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has revealed the Scotland forward is close to becoming a Sunderland player with a view to impressing enough to earn a longer deal.

"We have agreed in principle something which would suit us all. That would be a contract for a couple of months," said O'Neill.

"I still feel James is a bit short of what I would consider real proper fitness. And I'm delighted to say he's not one of those lads who would not want to hang around if he couldn't make progress.

"It's an arrangement that we still need to verify but it might suit us all. It provides an incentive for James to get in to the side over the next couple of months."

McFadden has been looking for a club since leaving Everton at the end of last season. He had been on trial at Motherwell.