Sunderland are considering a move for Hansa Rostock's 27-year-old German striker Enrico Kern. The Bundesliga side are willing to listen to offers, and Kern has enjoyed an impressive start to the season.

A flurry of scouts were watching when Enrico Kern grabbed a hattrick against Energie Cottbus in Rostock's 3-2 victory in November, and Roy Keane is known to be in the market for some backup strikers.

The 6 foot 3 man is considered very similar in style to Peter Crouch, and has helped Rostock into 15th in die Bundesliga.

Any move Roy Keane makes for Kern will have to be in excess of £1 million. Other clubs interested in Kern are Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Salzburg and VfB Stuttgart.