Sunderland are interested in a move for Plymouth forward Freddie Ladapo.
The Black Cats were first interested in the prolific Pilgrims forward in January and are set to rekindle their interest this summer.
It was reported yesterday that Portsmouth and Sunderland were close to agreeing a fee with Plymouth for Ladapo but it is our understanding that although two clubs have had bids accepted for the 26-year-old, Sunderland are not one of them.
The Black Cats are keen for a new forward this summer with both Will Grigg and Charlie Wyke struggling to find the net on a consistent basis last season.
Scottish forward Lawrence Shankland is another option Sunderland are exploring but Ladapo is a definite person of interest in the Black Cats' forward hunt.
But what sort of player is he? What will he bring to Sunderland? What are the chances of the deal happening?
In order to gain a better insight in to the former Southend and Crystal Palace forward, we spoke to Plymouth Live's Plymouth Argyle correspondent, Chris Errington, to find out all you need to know about Ladapo.
What sort of player is Ladapo? What can Sunderland fans expect?
He played as a lone striker for Argyle in a 4-2-3-1 formation, or a close variation of that, for much of last season. Despite Argyle struggling for much of the time, he scored 18 goals in League One and was the division's Player of the Month for October. He has a good physical build and is quick enough, which can see him run the channels and get in behind defences.
Prior to joining Plymouth, Ladapo had a pretty unremarkable scoring record in the Football League. What clicked for him this season for things to go so right for him at Home Park?
He had a relatively slow start to his career at Argyle too but it really clicked for him from the start of October onwards, especially at Home Park, where most of his goals came. Playing in the same team as two very creative players such as Graham Carey and Ruben Lameiras meant he had plenty of goalscoring opportunities and he started converting them.
Both Charlie Wyke and Will Grigg have struggled to find goals consistently for Sunderland despite commanding considerable transfer fees at League One level. Do you think Ladapo has what it takes to thrive under the pressure of playing for a big club like Sunderland?
It is hard to say. Some players wilt under the pressure of playing for such a big club as Sunderland but others will thrive. The trouble is you will only find that out for sure after they have signed.
What has impressed you most about him this season?
His goalscoring. His record before last season was not exactly eye-catching and he came to Argyle after a spell at Southend United where he did not score in 10 games. So to go from that to getting 19 goals in all competitions in 2018/19 was impressive.
What do you believe he still needs to work on?
His first touch and ability to hold the ball up could do with some more work on the training ground. If he can improve those areas, combined with his physical attributes, he would be a good all-round attacker.
There was interest from Sunderland in January. From your end, how close did the Black Cats actually come to signing him earlier this year?
I think Sunderland were in for a number of strikers then, as they tried to persuade Wigan to sell Will Grigg, and Ladapo was just one of the many other options they explored. Argyle made it clear, I understand, they had no interest in selling him then.
Despite Sunderland being close to agreeing a fee with Plymouth, there remains fierce competition for his signature. How likely is it that Ladapo starts the 2019/20 season as a Sunderland player?
When Sunderland make an approach for you and you are a League One/potentially Championship player you would be foolish not to give them serious consideration, but there could be a number of alternative options open to him. I would expect a decision on his future fairly soon.
