£4m ex-Sunderland 'target' wanted by Leicester City, Luton Town, Coventry City, West Brom and Bristol City

Former Sunderland 'target' Jerry Yates has been linked with no less than six Championship clubs following Blackpool's relegation to League One - including Leicester City.

The recently relegated Premier League side are now said to have joined the race after the former top-flight champions and FA Cup winners dropped to the Championship last season.

The Sun state that the Foxes see him as a potential replacement for Kelechi Iheanacho or Jamie Vardy with the striking duo set to leave the King Power Stadium.

Yates was heavily touted with a move to the Stadium of Light in January after loanee Ellis Simms was recalled by Everton, yet it was revealed that the 26-year-old wasn't on the club’s radar later in the window.

Following Blackpool's relegation from the Championship, however, speculation has arisen surrounding Yates' future after he netted 14 times and chipped in with four assists during 2022-23.

According to reports, newly-promoted Ipswich Town are interested in the striker alongside Luton Town, Coventry City, West Brom, Bristol City and now Leicester City.

Talk has also suggested that a bid of £2.5million from an unnamed outfit has been rejected. Blackpool are said to value Yates at around £4million, with reports now suggesting those bids had come from Leicester City.

Yates has bagged 46 goals in 139 games for the Tangerines and has a year left on his current contract at Bloomfield Road.

The Black Cats are in the market for a striker themselves but are likely to be targeting younger options with the inflated fee for a 26-year-old Yates likely to put Sunderland off.