Cape Town - Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed that Emmanuel Eboue is on the verge of signing a short-term contract with the club.
The former Arsenal defender has been training with the North East club for the last month after leaving Galatasaray.
The struggling Black Cats face the threat of relegation as they are tied on 24 points with Norwich City and Newcastle United in the danger zone.
"Possibly by the end of the week it'll be clinched until the end of the season," Allardyce told Independent.
"He's a very experienced professional in all aspects of the game at the top level. If he can bring anything with that experience we'll use it if and when we feel necessary.
"I have DeAndre [Yedlin], Billy Jones and [Adam]Matthews, but when you have somebody with the experience, knowledge and ability of Emmanuel Eboue who wants to come and train with you and prove himself, you can't turn that down.
"I think given he has proven his fitness in training in the last two-and-a-half weeks, that might give us something a little better down that side if and when needed."
Sunderland will face Southampton at St Mary's on Saturday.