Town and Sunderland are reported to be keen on former Blackburn striker Danny Graham.

The 34-year-old was released by Rovers at the season having netted four times during 2019/20.

According to the EADT, both the Blues and Black Cats - for whom Graham played between January 2013 and June 2016 following a £5 million move from Swansea - are keen on the much-travelled frontman, who initially moved to Blackburn on loan when Paul Lambert was in charge at Ewood Park.

Graham’s name has been mentioned in connection with Town on social media and the TWTD Forum for a number of weeks due to that previous connection with Lambert and with the Blues after a big target man striker this summer.

The 6ft 1in tall Gateshead-born striker is based in the north and that could count against the Blues if they are keen, particularly as Town currently appear to have little scope to pay too much to any new signings given the size of the squad as it stands and their wage bill already not being too far off the £2.5 million limit.

Sunderland are also said to be keen on keeper Remi Matthews, 26, who continued to train with the Blues last week.

Matthews previously played for Black Cats boss Phil Parkinson at Bolton, who the Gorleston-based keeper left at the end of 2019/20.

As TWTD revealed last month, Town offered Matthews, who was in Town first-team coach Matt Gill’s Norwich U23s squad during his time at Carrow Road, the chance to train while he looked for another club with Championship sides and teams abroad believed to be interested.

However, the Blues themselves are almost certain to be after another senior keeper this summer with Will Norris having returned to his parent club Wolves after 2019/20 was cut short.

Elsewhere, Sunderland continue to be linked a loan deal for another Wolves keeper, Matija Sarkic, 23, a player they are understood to have been targeting since before he moved to Molineux from Aston Villa last month.

Former Town loanee Luke Garbutt’s future still remains unconfirmed with reports in the North-East playing down claims that a move to the Stadium of Light is all but done.

The Blues have maintained a dialogue with the left-back's representatives since the end of his loan, while other sides are also believed to be keen with Championship clubs having watching the former England U21 international during his spell at Portman Road.

The 27-year-old, a free agent following his release by Everton, was reported to have been formally offered a contract by Sunderland towards the end of last week.

Like Town, it seems likely that the Black Cats will have little room for manoeuvre when it comes to adding to their squad given the salary cap and with Town revealing yesterday that the contracts of players already on the books are being treated as if they are earning £113,000 per annum.

Photo: Action Images

RobITFC added 10:16 - Aug 9 Dear God , please NO. We do not need a 34 year old striker.
4

Skip73 added 10:31 - Aug 9 Surely Sunderlands wage bill and squad size is the same as ours, but they're still managing to sign players.
1

BlueandTruesince82 added 10:49 - Aug 9 One for long ball merchants... yes he fits the bill for a target man but I hope we don't just go direct. A good option to throw on. Suspect he'll want to stay up north
0

Pencilpete added 11:12 - Aug 9 A 34 year old striker who scored 4 times last season ..... that people, is where we are
5

Pencilpete added 11:18 - Aug 9 I'd rather have Robinho ..... hes 36 and available on a free (joke guys)
0

chepstowblue added 11:50 - Aug 9 Too good for this level and therefore too good for us. If it was us and Accrington linked he'd not be coming to us !
1

Terry_Nutkins added 11:53 - Aug 9 Skip73 no Sunderland have a small squad. Even with their signing it's about 15. They released a huge chunk of their squad. Big start again going on there. They have also let go/sold a lot youngsters which seems a bad move now.
0

Suffolkboy added 11:53 - Aug 9 Doesn't seem to strike often ; must be better options UNLESS he and others are feeling somewhat threatened by Covid implications and possible salary caps limiting opportunities . Hope we can find a more interesting and exciting prospect: AND how is Lankester coming along ? COYB
-1

leftie1972 added 11:56 - Aug 9 This Is just rumour and speculation, I hope. Not what we need. Play Tyreece Simpson with Norwood and the goals will come.
0

Cloddyseedbed added 11:58 - Aug 9 Every year we get poorer playing staff and accounts and expect to bounce back. What a mess our poor club is in, starved of investment for so many years on decent players, our recruitment is an embarrassment, who the hell is in charge of it? Or not as the case seems. We sign youngsters who aren't good enough, we sign old men who are past it. Other clubs lower than us seem to find gems and build a team. We just start every season not knowing who we will sign at the last minute and they usually ain't good. No future for the club at all with this system in place and a manager who doesn't seem able to motivate anybody. Evans must be secretly chuffed to bits now that he has to spend even less than he has done in the past and that has seen us where we are and going behind further. Div 2 beckons.

3

multiplescoregasms added 12:28 - Aug 9 All meaningless paper talk.......please God, let it be just paper talk. If there is any truth in this then we are in a bad place.
2

Murphys_Law added 13:36 - Aug 9 I don't get the negativity with this one? Every time he's played against us he's been a complete pain in the butt. He holds it up, bullies defenders and brings people into the game. His movement is superb and he's different to what we've got. At this level at the end of his career he'd be an excellent addition.
5

Linkboy13 added 14:15 - Aug 9 Isn't he George Graham's dad. We might as well gone for Daryl Murphy sounds like we're building for div2 especially if we sell Downes or Wolfenden.
3

Nobbysnuts added 16:21 - Aug 9 Oh god..... please say this is a joke.........
0

ThaiBlue added 19:00 - Aug 9 Dont see the problem is will do ok for us knows where the back of the net is,would be ok for a season.
0

Len_Brennan added 20:20 - Aug 9 We need to get out of this league & quickly; to do that we need to have a wily centre forward who will win ball, win frees/penalties in dangerous areas, bring younger faster players in with clever layoffs and score his fair share of goals. Danny Graham is exactly the kind of player we need to do that & would cause League 1 defences all kinds of problems. The fact that he is 34 doesn't concern me in the slightest; we'd be buying him to give us something difference to the options we have & get us into the Championship. Newcastle paid £3m for an aging Darryl Murphy & left him on the bench most of their promotion season; but when they needed a presence up front, on he came & did his bit with goals, assists & general annoyance for defenders. Once they went up he was told he could leave as he wasn't going to feature at all in the Premier League. That was a sensible bit of business by Benitez, which paid off handsomely. I think Graham could well have a similar impact for us & Sears, Norwood & Jackson would really enjoy playing off him, not to mention Lankester, Dobra, Bishop & Judge coming on to the ball from midfield.

3

algarvefan added 22:23 - Aug 9 He's not a prolific scorer but he is a target man ans we do need one of those, he has experience but in my opinion is too old, I think we would do better looking below us for someone who plays a similar role to feed and hold up play for Norwood. I really don't think we saw anything of the best of Norwood last season, he is our prolific man. If Graham comes to us he comes but lets at least take a good look around first.

1

Razor added 10:20 - Aug 10 Whats happenned to that Bristol Rovers chappie?
0

TimmyH added 12:38 - Aug 10 Will the retirement home here suit him compared to the one at the Stadium of light?...past it I'm afraid.
0

stewartm added 17:23 - Aug 10 This would be a very good signing at this level of football, I doubt its true BUT if it does happen then imo a very good signing!
0

eddiespearitt03 added 02:22 - Aug 11 Yep, bring in a 34 yr old striker to partner Sears up front . That will scare the opposition. We are no closer to building a team at this club. Very little to get excited about anymore.
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