Sunderland ready to move on permanent deal for DeAndre Yedlin

The season is over. Let the transfer rumors begin! Despite a rather inauspicious start to his loan, Tottenham Hotspur's American right back DeAndre Yedlin played an important role in Sunderland escaping relegation and staying in the Premier League.

Now, according to the Mirror, Sunderland are ready to make a bid to keep Yedlin on a permanent basis. The Black Cats are supposedly ready to bid £2m for Yedlin, or about what Spurs paid for him back in August of 2014.

As rumors go, this one isn't exactly crazy. Yedlin's loan began while Sunderland were still managed by Dick Advocaat and as recently as March Yedlin was still mired on the Black Cats' bench, as Sam Allardyce preferred proven Premier League players to young Americans in his defense. But that's changed lately: Yedlin worked his way into the starting lineup and played an important role as Sunderland avoided relegation. His performances have warmed him to the Wearside faithful, and Big Sam reportedly likes him.

£2m is the break-even price, so this would almost certainly be an opening bid. I'd expect Spurs to reject this offhand. The bigger questions center around whether or not Yedlin will have a chance to fight for a position as Kyle Walker's primary back-up next season, and if not, how much Spurs will try and milk out of Sunderland in the transfer window.

All accounts suggest that, while he still has a ways to go, Yedlin has improved defensively during his loan. He still has that blazing speed going forward, and knows how to put in a good cross, too. Considering the less-than-stellar performances from Kieran Trippier this season, it's not out of the question that Yedlin could give him a run for his money.

Very early days, but I don't think we need to be worried about Spurs cashing in on Yedlin quite yet. He has the Copa America Centennial in which to prove himself in international competition this summer. A good showing there, combined with a solid preseason at Tottenham, might tell us more about what Spurs' long-term plans are for him. If he's firmly behind Walker and Trippier by end of the summer, then at least Spurs know that there's a receptive party ready to give him a chance in the Premier League.