Sunderland weigh up January swoop for striker

Premier League rivals Everton and Swansea City plus French side Lyon are also tracking the 25-year-old.

Sunderland are understood to have sent scouts to watch Santander in Champions League Group G action against Club Brugge last night.

The Danish side are unbeaten in 20 games in all competitions, their most recent defeat coming in May.

And frontman Santander has caught the eye, with Sunderland in desperate need of reinforcements up front, with the Black Cats among the lowest scorers in the top flight.

Sunderland are currently relying on Jermain Defoe, who has scored four league goals in six games, with Fabio Borini out injured for a further two months.

Victor Anichebe arrived on a free in the summer but Sunderland failed to land the proven goalscorer the squad was lacking to help assist Defoe.

Speaking after his side chucked away a 2-0 lead against Crystal Palace, Moyes said: “We’re going to have to improve on what we’ve got to give ourselves a chance.”

Santander has scored six goals and provided three assists in 17 appearances so far this campaign, with three goals in his last two matches.

FC Copenhagen manager Stale Solbakken, who had a short spell in charge of Wolves in 2012, has ruled out a January move for his star striker.

But the Danish side may find it hard to keep hold of their prize asset when Premier League clubs come calling when the transfer window reopens.

Solbakken said: “There will be no sale for winter. We can not just sell and sell and sell. He has only been here one-and-a-half years, so it is not raised.”

The Paraguayan international, who scored 17 goals in 36 appearances last season for FC Copenhagen, previously played for Toulouse before joining the Danish outfit.

Meanwhile, free agent Pedro Carneiro, a former Manchester City prospect, is trying to win a contract with the Black Cats.

The 18-year-old Portuguese midfielder has also been linked to Portuguese giants Benfica.

Sunderland have also been linked with a six-month loan move for former Liverpool midfielder Joao Teixeira in January.

The 23-year-old is yet to make an appearance for Portugese giants Porto after signing for the club in the summer after his release from Liverpool.

Teixeira failed to make an impact on Merseyside and was loaned out to Brentford and Brighton during his three-year spell in the North West.