Sunderland medical for Healy - Hodgson

Healy has been offered an escape route by the Blacks Cats - who are managed by former Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane - after failing to establish himself at Fulham.

The Cottagers paid Leeds £1.5million for the unsettled Northern Ireland marksman last summer and Hodgson admits he could be set to move on once again.

"If David has been spotted at Sunderland he didn't wear that disguise I told him to!" he said.

"It's no secret that Sunderland admire David and have talked about a transfer. He's up there for a medical today (Thursday).

"We'll see what happens now but it's certainly a possibility the transfer could go through."

Hodgson is bemused by the ongoing speculation linking Jimmy Bullard with a move away from Craven Cottage. Bolton are the latest club to have been linked with the popular midfielder.

But Hodgson insists there has been no approach for Bullard, who recently had a request to extend his contract rejected by Fulham's board.

"Neither myself nor (managing director) Alistair Mackintosh have recently been contacted by any club regarding Jimmy Bullard," he said.

"The only club I know that have made any contact, at least with myself, was Wigan - maybe five weeks ago."