Sunderland face competition from Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest for the signing of Daryl Murphy.
According to a report in the Irish edition of The Sun all three clubs have made contact with Newcastle about the strikers availability.
Murphy has developed a reputation as a Championship specialist. In the 2014/15 season he scored 27 goals for Ipswich and played a useful support role at Newcastle last season following a £4m move from Portland Road.
Other clubs looking at Dazza Murphy? The way we are going we need the lad #nufc
— andy olds (@andynufcolds) July 11, 2017
A move to Sunderland would be the most controversial but other than his last stint at Ipswich it was at the Stadium of Light under Roy Keane that Murphy was at his most effective.
Newcastle would prefer to sell the 34-year-old and shouldn’t be short of offers with the three clubs quoted with an interest all expected to be in contention for automatic promotion.
Murphy remains an important part of Ireland’s World Cup squad with Martin O’Neill capping the striker four times last season and being rewarded with an equaliser away to Serbia in the opening group match.