Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has gone cold on two striker transfer targets.
The Journal says stop-gap solutions Ricardo Fuller and Jay Bothroyd appear to have been discounted.
There has been disappointment at both the fees quoted to Sunderland for Stoke City man Fuller, and also the wage demands of a player who has question marks surrounding his fitness.
There are also reservations about the suitability of England striker Bothroyd to the regular demands of Premier League football - concerns that have been heightened by Cardiff City playing hardball over his fee.
