Rumour mill: Norwich City make £6.5m move for Utrecht striker Sebastien Haller

Norwich manager Alex Neil has been touted with a £6.5m move for Utrecht striker Sebastien Haller. Picture by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd ©Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222

Norwich City have been linked with a £6.5m swoop for Utrecht striker Sebastien Haller.

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Respected French football newspaper L’Equipe reported on Monday morning the Canaries have made their move ahead of the January transfer window to head off interest in the 21-year-old from fellow Premier League strugglers Sunderland.

Haller has scored 10 goals in 15 Eredivisie top flight Dutch league games this season to help Utrecht into a comfortable mid-table position, who according to L’Equipe could be tempted to cash in on their prized asset, although the player is believed to be keen on a move to Dutch powerhouses Ajax.

Haller joined Utrecht in 2014 initially on loan before completing a permanent move after making his professional breakthrough in his homeland with Auxerre. The 6ft 2in striker has been capped at youth level by France all the way upto under-21 level.

Alex Neil tried to bring in attacking reinforcements during the summer, with Dynamo Kiev frontman Dieumerci Mbokani arriving on loan, but they were frustrated in their attempts to land Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle and former Eagles’ forward Glenn Murray.

Neil is again likely to be in the market for fresh firepower next month with Mbokani, Lewis Grabban and Cameron Jerome all failing to hit the goal trail in the Premier League. Jerome spurned a gilt-edged chance to earn City a priceless win against Everton on Saturday.

Neil has sanctioned a Championship loan move for Gary Hooper until the New Year and fellow out-of-favour striker Kyle Lafferty has made it clear he needs regular football ahead of Northern Ireland’s Euro 2016 tilt.