Sydney FC striker Dwight Yorke is poised to sign for English Championship club Sunderland, the Australian team's manager Terry Butcher said on Thursday.
The 34-year-old Trinidad & Tobago international, by far the highest profile player in Australia's A-League, will link up again with his former Manchester United team mate Roy Keane, who has just taken over as Sunderland manager.'Sunderland and Sydney FC are in negotiations for the transfer back to England,' Butcher told a news conference in Melbourne where his side are preparing to play Melbourne Victory on Saturday.
'They are ongoing but with no resolution at the moment. He still believes he can prove himself on the biggest stage.'
Yorke did not travel with his team mates to Melbourne and remained in Sydney in case he needed to undergo a medical or sign relevant paperwork before the transfer window closes on Friday, Butcher said.
Yorke's departure will be another blow for Australian soccer following this week's announcement that Football Federation Australia chief executive John O'Neill is stepping down in March.
'It will be a big loss to us and to the A-League because he's our marquee player and will be difficult to replace,' Butcher said. 'We would like him to stay, he's a great player.'
Yorke and Keane were key players in the United team that won a historic treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in 1999.
Yorke made his name with Aston Villa before joining Manchester United for £12.6 million ($23.99 million) in 1998.
He settled quickly at Old Trafford, scoring 29 goals in his first season and forming a lethal attacking partnership with Andy Cole which fired United to their historic treble.
Yorke struggled to maintain that prolific form, however, and was sold to Blackburn Rovers in 2002 for just £2 million. He also had a mediocre year at Birmingham City before signing for Sydney on a free transfer in July 2005.
He captained Sydney to the inaugural A-League title this year and played for Trinidad & Tobago at the World Cup in Germany.
