Town, Barnsley and Derby are all keen on taking young Sunderland striker Ryan Noble on loan, according to reports in the North-East. The 20-year-old spent time with the Rams last season but a back injury meant that the Wearside-born frontman made only one sub appearance while at Pride Park.
Black Cats boss Steve Bruce is said to want to take a look at the 6ft tall frontman in pre-season before deciding whether to send him out to a Championship club for 2011/12.
Noble, who spent the final couple of months of 2009/10 at Watford without making an appearance, broke into the Sunderland side towards the end of last season, making three appearances as a substitute. The previous year he had made his senior bow as a sub in an FA Cup victory over Barrow.
A regular member of former Town frontman Keith Bertschin’s reserves side at the Stadium of Light having come through the ranks at his hometown club, Noble has won six caps at England U19 level, scoring one goal.
Despite signing Nathan Ellington and Michael Chopra, the Blues could well look at signing another striker if Connor Wickham, the subject of an offer from Sunderland and interest from amongst others Liverpool, or Jason Scotland, who is being chased by Sheffield Wednesday, move on this summer. Town would also listen to offers for Tamás Priskin, while youngster Ronan Murray could be in line for a loan with Colchester understood to be interested.
Meanwhile, Burnley are reported to have offered Celtic £400,000 for ex-Town loan defender Darren O’Dea.
Former Town right-back Sito has been linked with a summer move from Salamanca to Celta Vigo. The Spaniard joined his current club having been released by the Blues in 2008.
Elsewhere, ex-Town loanee Giovani Dos Santos scored a stunner as Mexico came from two goals down to beat the US 4-2 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final yesterday. Dos Santos looks set to move back to Spain this summer with his former loan club Racing Santander and Sevilla both interested in the £4 million-rated 22-year-old.