Tottenham are willing to sell Peter Crouch for £9 million. The Sun says Newcastle United asked about Crouch and Harry Redknapp said he wanted to recoup the fee paid to Portsmouth two years ago.
That is likely to prove too big a stumbling block for Toon, who would not want to pay that high a price for a 30-year-old.
And with Crouch wanting a four year deal, boss Alan Pardew has been forced to think again.
Sunderland are long time admirers of the beanpole striker and had hoped to muster a swap deal involving Asamoah Gyan earlier this summer.
But with Steve Bruce landing wonderkid Connor Wickham, the Black Cats' attention has turned elsewhere.
Stoke City and boss Tony Pulis have also inquired about Crouch whose height would be useful in their much-maligned aerial attack.
And the 6ft 7in target man has even been linked with a return to his boyhood idols QPR - although Hoops boss Neil Warnock admits Crouch is out of his price bracket.
