Sunderland have agreed a fee with Liverpool for promising young full-back Stephen Wright and the England Under-21 international will meet Peter Reid next week to discuss personal terms.
The right-back made 14 appearances last season but the signing of Abel Xavier and the return to fitness of German defender Markus Babbel may have limited his chances at Anfield in the coming season.
Liverpool spokesman Ian Cotton said: "We have had discussions with Sunderland and have now agreed a fee for the player.
"We have now given Sunderland permission to speak directly with Stephen."
Meanwhile, Peter Reid has insisted he has no intention of quitting the club despite mounting discontent among the Stadium of Light support.
Reid, who had a drink thrown over him on last week’s pre-season tour of Belgium, said: "No matter how much lager is thrown over me, there's no way I will be walking out on Sunderland. Not a chance.
"I can honestly say the majority of those fans who have been away with us on our pre-season trips to France, Belgium and Spain have been fantastic. The others have been frustrated and what happened to me in this one particular case was frustration boiling over,"