Sunderland appear poised to increase their bid for Steven Fletcher to the £12m Wolves are demanding for the centre forward. They have seen offers of £10m and £11m rejected by the Molineux board, but Martin O'Neill remains determined to land the 25-year-old former Hibernian and Burnley striker. Even so, it is understood that this will be Sunderland's final bid.

O'Neill regards Fletcher, who scored 12 Premier League goals for Wolves last season, seven of them from headers, as the answer to his side's attacking problems. Moreover, the Scot would provide the sort of aerial threat not seen at the Stadium of Light since Kenwyne Jones's departure for Stoke City.

With Asamoah Gyan having made his move to Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates permanent and Nicklas Bendtner returned to Arsenal following the completion of his loan on Wearside, Sunderland's manager lacks attacking options.

Despite suffering Premier League relegations with Burnley and Wolves during the past three seasons, Fletcher's goals-per-games ration is better than one in three and he is seen as the ideal forward to make the most of James McClean's crosses. It remains unclear whether or not Connor Wickham will spend a season-long loan at Wolves as part of any deal.

O'Neill trusts that Fletcher would form a dangerous attacking partnership with the skilful Benin forward Stéphane Sessègnon. Sunderland's manager is hoping that scans of the ankle Sessegnon injured in training on Monday will not reveal any serious injury.