Sunderland lining up a summer swoop for former Newcastle target Bas Dost from VfL Wolfsburg
Sam Allardyce considering a move for Dutch international striker as he looks to bolster his forward ranks in this window
SUNDERLAND are lining up a summer swoop for big Wolfsburg striker Bas Dost.
The Dutch international, 27, is a towering presence at 6ft 5ins, with Sam Allardyce hoping to land his man after the European Championships in France.
Big Sam is hoping to bolster his attacking ranks in this window, with Jermain Defoe currently the only recognised out-and-out striker on the books.
Fabio Borini and Duncan Watmore are good attacking prospects, but tend to spend most of their time out on the wing.
Dost was a target for North East rivals Newcastle just 12 months ago, however with the Magpies relegated to the Championship, any move for the Bundesliga giant is dead in the water now.
Allardyce will face competition for Dost from German top flight side Hamburg, with Wolfsburg ready to cash in on the front-man.
Dost has just 12 months left on his contract, and with no new deal in place, the Bundesliga side are looking to make a quick buck from the forward rather than lose him for free in 2017.
Wolfsburg are lining up Tottenham target Vincent Janssen as his replacement.
Dutchman Bost has netted 36 goals in 84 Bundesliga appearances since joining Wolfsburg in 2012, with one international goal from six caps for Holland.
He also netted an impressive 45 goals in 66 games for Eredivisie side Heerenveen between 2010 and 2012.
If the move for Dost doesn’t work out, Big Sam is thought to want to switch his attention to West Ham forward Diafra Sakho.
Allardyce is also looking to boost the rest of his squad as he hopes to avoid another relegation dog-fight, with Norwich’s Robbie Brady a focus.
The Irish winger, 24, wants to remain in the Premier League after Alex Neil’s Canaries were relegated to the second tier of English football in May.
Brady can play anywhere on the left, having been deployed in defence and on the wing for Norwich.
The Black Cats’ No1 left back Patrick van Aanholt recently put pen to paper on a new four-year deal at the Stadium of Light, meaning Brady would more than likely provide competition on the offensive end.