Sunderland have agreed a fee with Charlton for midfielder Andy Reid, the Coca-Cola Championship club have announced.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder is currently holding talks with the Barclays Premier League side while defender Greg Halford may go in the opposite direction with a loan move to The Valley.

It is understood the Black Cats have tabled an offer in the region of £4million for 25-year-old Reid.

Manager Alan Pardew told the club's website, www.charlton-athletic.co.uk: "A fee has been agreed and Andy Reid is talking to Sunderland.

"It was a difficult decision, but we have to look at ourselves and say 'are we going to let this affect us or will this make us stronger?' Hopefully, the latter will happen."

Reid joined the Addicks from Tottenham in a move which could have amounted to £3million in August 2006, and has made 23 appearances so far this season.

However, his campaign has been disrupted by injury and he has been sidelined with a knee problem since mid-December.

He would leave the south London club in fifth place in the Championship.

Pardew continued: "I feel we've coped well without him since he has been injured - he is still carrying an injury - but it was a tough call for all parties, and also Andy himself.

"The situation that Sunderland are in, he's going to find that very difficult to refuse. He's on Championship money and he'll be going to Premier League money."

The Charlton boss is confident a move for Halford would be beneficial for both club and player who has not enjoyed success since his move from Colchester to Reading in January last year.

He spent just six months with the Royals before moving on to the Black Cats in the summer but is now set for The Valley, where he will spend the rest of the season on loan.

Pardew continued: "Part of doing business is to make sure you try to do something that's useful for your club.

"I lost Jermain Defoe in a similar situation when I was at West Ham United, and brought in Bobby Zamora.

"Hopefully, we can have similar success with Greg. He's coming here on loan and I think he's got a lot to prove.

"It didn't work out for him at Reading, it didn't work out for him at Sunderland, so I think he needs to be a success here, but I think he will be a massive asset for us."

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