Sunderland will have to conjure up £10m if they want to sign out-of-favour Leicester City striker Leonardo Ulloa, according tothe Telegraph.
Black Cats manager David Moyes is poised to make a move for Ulloa in a bid to boost Sunderland's attacking options but the Foxes are determined to hold out for a significant fee if they decide to let the Argentine go.
Ulloa, who has also been targeted by struggling Swansea City,has found regular starting opportunities hard to come by this season after Leicester's club-record£28m capture of Islam Slimani. With Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki further options for Claudio Ranieri, Ulloa has been relegated to fourth-choice and is ready to leave the King Power Stadium.
Leicester City demand Sunderland pay £10m for Leonardo Ulloa - @JPercyTelegraphhttps://t.co/NRBbzlrsQe
Slimani is set to join up with Algeria for the Africa Cup of Nations in January, potentially paving a path back to the starting line-up for Ulloa. However, Sunderland are expected to act on their interest in the player and should they match Leicester's valuation, Ulloa may decide to help Sunderland in their battle to avoid the drop.
Ulloa has been an excellent asset for Leicester, scoring crucial goals in the run-in last season as the Foxes clinched the Premier League title in historic fashion. The 30-year-old was signed from Brighton for £8million but despite being two years older, Leicester are determined to make a profit on the striker.
Ulloa has made seven league appearances this season and is yet to score.