The Scottish Premier League side see the Republic of Ireland international as a key summer signing, and have raised the idea of a season-long loan deal.

But Sunderland are not interested in yet another temporary spell for a player who was farmed out to Sheffield United and Crystal Palace on loan last season, and is clearly surplus to requirements at the Stadium of Light.

They want him off their books permanently, and Hibs will be told they can forget the idea of a lengthy loan spell – if they want him, they will have to buy him.

That though, might not prove too much of a problem for the Scottish club, which this week sold striker Steven Fletcher to Burnley for £3m.

For Sunderland will do business for substantially less than the £2m Roy Keane paid for the Arsenal player's services in January 2007, though Stokes' wages might be a problem.

But there's a chance that with a bit of negotiation from all sides, the striker might consider a wage reduction and Sunderland could accept a lower fee so Hibs could meet the player's salary.

Certainly it would seem to be in the best interests of all concerned that the striker's future is resolved as soon as possible.

The 20-year-old's career has hit the buffers over the last 12 months, and another year on the fringes can hardly appeal.

In Hibernian boss John Hughes, he has one of his biggest admirers, for he was manager of Falkirk when Stokes was brought in on loan from Arsenal and scored a staggering 14 goals in 16 games.

Hughes sees Stokes at Sunderland and Alan Gow at Rangers – both unwanted at their respective clubs, as well as being former team-mates at Falkirk – as players who can plug the gap left by Fletcher's departure.

And should Hughes, as expected, pursue his interest, Stokes would become the first player to move in or out of Sunderland this summer.

Stokes's position is typical of many others in Sunderland's bloated squad, and the board is committed to a policy of sales rather than loans wherever possible.

Last season there were times when up to a dozen players were out on loan from Sunderland.

And this season the Black Cats want to greatly reduce the number of players on their books who do not have a genuine part to play in the club's future.