Tottenham have signed Japanese international Kazuyuki Toda, subject to the midfielder passing a medical over the weekend.
The Shimizu S-Pulse player, who played a large part in the success of the Japanese side at the World Cup, has agreed terms on a one-year loan deal, and has been granted a work permit.
The 25-year-old Toda, who will become the second Japanese player to feature in a Premiership squad after Fulham's Junichi Inamoto, has made 20 international appearances.
Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle said: ''Toda is an immensely impressive midfielder and we are delighted to welcome him to the club.
"His addition to the squad will give us more options in this area, and I am sure the fans will quickly see the benefit of his strengths."
The news will come as a blow to Sunderland boss Howard Wilkinson after the 25-year-old spent the last two weeks training with the Black Cats and Wilkinson was keen to add him to his injury-ravaged squad.
However, as he prepared his side for tomorrow's FA Cup fourth round trip to Blackburn, the manager was devastated to learn his best laid plans have been hijacked by the Londoners.
"I was hopeful of signing Toda and I was negotiating with his club in Japan on the deal, but I've just been informed that (director of football operations) Mark Blackbourne has received a fax from the agents concerned telling us he's signing for Tottenham," he said.
"He was training with us on Thursday, and he's signing for Tottenham, and that's all I know. He was at Cleadon, Mark was negotiating with his club and today we've received a fax from his agents.
"I do have a reaction and that's one of disappointment at not being kept abreast of the situation, as it were.
"I don't want to get into a war with agents, but he comes over, he has two weeks with us and I can't believe all this happened last night and this morning."