Sunderland are weighing up a move for former academy graduate Martyn Waghorn.
Simon Grayson is keen to make more signings after the 5-0 friendly defeat by Celtic and the Rangers forward would be an inexpensive option due to his contract being up next summer.
The Sunderland manager is aware Waghorn, born and raised in South Shields, might provide a boost to supporters reeling from Darron Gibson’s drunken lambasting of allegedly indifferent teammates.
Waghorn is thought to be keen on a move back to Sunderland, the club he joined aged eight and made his debut for at 17, before leaving for Leicester in a £2.