Sunderland transfer news: Patrick van Aanholt tells David Moyes he wants to leave as Crystal Palace plot improved £12m bid
Defender wants to leave rock bottom Black Cats this month as Sam Allardyce aims to bolster his squad
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PATRICK VAN AANHOLT has told Sunderland he wants to leave with Crystal Palace on the verge of tabling an improved £12million bid.
The Dutch defender, 26, is hoping to force through a move to Selhurst Park where he would be reunited with his old Black Cats boss Sam Allardyce.
And Sunderland are now minded to cash in on Van Aanholt, whose attitude of late has disappointed manager David Moyes.
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The Scot will demand he is allowed to use funds from any sale of the left-back to buy a replacement.
Moyes is also likely to offer Joleon Lescott a short-term deal after centre-half Papy Djilobodji was yesterday charged with violent conduct by the FA and faces a four-match ban.
The Senegalese, 28, punched West Brom midfielder Darren Fletcher off the ball towards the end of Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at the Hawthorns.
Referee Craig Pawson claimed he did not see the incident and Djilobodji has now been retrospectively punished after he was caught on video.
He has until 6pm today to respond and will be suspended for four games if found guilty, as he was sent off earlier this season.
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But free agent Lescott, 34, is ready to replace him after training with Sunderland again yesterday.
The rock-bottom Black Cats do not play again until Tottenham visit the Stadium of Light a week today.
And Billy Jones admits “the only positive” at the club right now is the fact they are only three points behind fourth-bottom Swansea.
The right-back, 29, said: “The only positive we have at this moment in time is knowing we’re not cut adrift.
“I think we just need to keep working hard, stay together and keep that belief.
“You get that first and foremost from good team performances.
“If you can get those week in week out and hit that level of consistency, the results will come.
“It starts from doing the basics.”