SUNDERLAND have allowed French midfielder El-Hadji Ba to head for London, and are close to confirming the permanent signing of defender Sebastian Coates.

Dick Advocaat gave Ba permission to discuss terms with Charlton after a frustrating two years on Wearside. The 22-year-old, who has 12 months remaining on the deal he signed after moving from Le Havre, has penned a three-year deal after passing a medical at The Valley.

Charlton were always confident there would be no complications, even though he has only recently recovered from a broken leg sustained during his season-long loan to Bastia.

The fee for the former France youth international is minimal and was confirmed as undisclosed. His departure is another attempt to move on a number of players signed by former sporting director Roberto De Fanti.

French defender Valentin Roberge and Greek winger Charis Mavrias are other candidates to leave if a suitable deal can be found, although the latter has more chance of figuring during pre-season.

Advocaat is being constantly updated by De Fanti’s successor, Lee Congerton, on the recruitment push, although Coates is the only deal close to being finalised at this stage.

And Sunderland seem set to get the South American for less than initially thought. An initial £2m will be paid to Liverpool and potentially a further £2m in add-ons.

Coates is due to return from a break following his involvement at the Copa America. He spent last season on loan at the Stadium of Light but struggled initially. He played the final six matches of the season to help preserve Premier League status by collecting nine points during that run.

Coates will compete with Wes Brown and John O’Shea for a first team shirt and the hope is that Santiago Vergini will be sold to free up another hole to bring in an extra defender.

Advocaat has been told by owner Ellis Short that he can bring in the five or six new players he is looking for before August. He would still like to sign Stewart Downing from West Ham and Arsenal’s England Under-21s right-back Carl Jenkinson, but Congerton is working on other targets too.